A ‘Green Army’ of over 3,000 people will fight for Queensland’s waterways, beaches, National Parks and green spaces under Premier Bligh’s $57 million plan to create thousands of jobs, protect the environment and boost tourism, Carolyn Male MP, Labor Candidate for Pine Rivers said.
Under the plan 3,000 unemployed or school leaving Queenslanders will be drafted into 2,300 paid green work placements and 700 green traineeships over the next three years.
Carolyn Male MP said the green jobs will consist of projects such as restoring national parks, revegetation and regeneration work, weed clearing, restoring degraded beaches, riverbanks and foreshores.
“These workers will construct and repair board walks and nature tracks, they will refurbish parks, improve public spaces and work in recycling and waste management,” Carolyn Male MP said.
“We are living through tough economic times and this policy will address some of the two most important issues facing my government - protecting jobs and protecting the environment.”
The conservation and environmental projects will be delivered by local councils, community based organisations and green organisations such as Greening Australia. These bodies will receive State Government grants to then provide eligible projects and positions for the scheme.
Eligible projects will need to be of lasting community benefit and may be delivered in urban, rural and remote locations.
The Premier said the new Green Army will be recruited through two initiatives;
• $47 million over three years to deliver 2,300 Queensland Green Army Work Placements
• $10 million over three years to deliver 700 Queensland Green Army Green Traineeships
Green Army Work Placements will mean that a total of 2,300 unemployed Queenslanders will be given the opportunity to complete a six months in a work placement.
Workers will be paid wages and undertake a mixture of supervised work and training, with salaries ranging from $193 (junior wage) to over $500 a week.
“When the work placement is finished members of the Green Army will be offered help to find further employment or entry into higher education or training.”
The Queensland Army Green Traineeships scheme will mean up to 700 unemployed Queenslanders will be offered up to 12 months paid work experience and training.
“These trainees will gain a nationally recognised vocational green qualification to a Certificate II or III level,” Carolyn Male MP added.
The Premier said eligible Green Traineeships would include certificates such as Conservation and Land Management, Horticulture and Waste and Water Treatment.
The scheme will be funded by redirecting the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations and the Department of Education budgets.
If re-elected the Government will set up a Green Jobs hotline which Queenslanders can ring and register their interest in either scheme.
