Queensland is seeking to leverage the benefits it gains from its mining and resources boom to develop into a world centre of engineering excellence.
“I believe it is now time for our state to seek to grow its reputation as a world centre of engineering excellence” Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says.
“If we build it, they will come”.
In the latest move, the government has appointed materials engineer Professor Graham Schaffer to the position as Special Advisor for the state’s new Smart Engineering State initiative. Commencing his role on 6 February, Schaffer will seek in early 2012 to meet with stakeholders and industry representatives to discuss ideas and perspectives on positioning Queensland as a smart engineering state. At the end of his appointment – a temporary role lasting three months – Schaffer will deliver a series of recommendations to the government’s Smart State Council, which is chaired by Queensland Chief Scientist Dr Geoff Garrett.
Bligh says that capturing the full benefits of the mining boom will require access to high quality engineers and engineering solutions. She says that that, in turn, will require investment and greater collaboration between industry, researchers and educators in engineering.
“I have long held the view that the 21st Century will be defined as the Asia Pacific Century” Bligh says.
“The opportunities this presents for Queensland’s industries, particularly the resources sector, will be of critical importance, not just for the future growth and prosperity of our own economy, but for the developing world.
“The challenge for Government, however, is to ensure Queensland maximises this opportunity and moves beyond the stark, inescapable truth that our finite mineral and energy resources can only ever be developed once.”
