The Banana Shire Council has made history by signing a groundbreaking agreement with AUKUS Forum, becoming the first Australian Council to forge a partnership with this renowned international Defence organisation.
This new agreement and partnership will put the Shire’s big and small businesses in direct contact with major international companies already seeking Australian contacts to comply with the government’s mandated local partnership requirement, designed to ensure that AUKUS’s benefits flow onto Australia.
The partnership with AUKUS opens up opportunities for the entire region to grow. The Council considers the partnership a significant opportunity for local businesses and a good proposition for companies considering investing in the area. The Banana Shire, located in Central Queensland, has many natural resources. It boasts easy access to ports and an established infrastructure, making it a good choice for any manufacturing business to set up shop.
The Council’s CEO, Tom Upton, said the Banana Shire Council is proactive in fostering economic growth. “We are beginning a new chapter of innovation and economic growth for our community. The Banana Shire is well-placed to make the most of this new partnership. Local small, medium, and large industries within the Shire are set to benefit from this partnership to attract investment and create more skilled jobs within our region.”
“This shows our dedication to being the Shire of Opportunity, and AUKUS Forum is the ideal partner to help us reach our full potential,” Tom Upton said.
The AUKUS Forum, headed by Joel Fitzgibbon, the former Australian Défense Minister, and Arthur Sinodinos, the Australian ambassador to the United States, is dedicated to helping boost jobs, the economy, and manufacturing by allowing companies, many of them family-run, to diversify and expand into new overseas markets.
The Banana Shire Council’s agreement welcomed the Forum’s co-chairs, Joel Fitzgibbon and Arthur Sinodinos.
Mr Fitzgibbon, a former Australian Défense Minister, said, “We know there’s a great untapped depth of talent in Australia’s industrial and manufacturing base in rural areas, eager to contribute.”
The AUKUS Forum’s founder, Michael Sharpe, said, “The council’s initiative aligns neatly with the Forum’s mission—to use the tremendous opportunities that the AUJKUS agreement will bring to boost jobs and the economy across Australia, with particular emphasis on rural and regional areas.”
An upcoming event in the region alongside Banana Shire Council is scheduled for July 2024. The event aims to foster connection and collaboration across industries and provide a platform for local businesses to explore new opportunities.
