Progress report 2025–26
The Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Strategy 2025–30 reflects a whole-of-government effort that aligns with other Queensland Government plans and commitments and is delivered in collaboration with the manufacturing industry.
In 2025–26, we delivered a range of actions aligned with our objectives and priorities, laying important groundwork for achieving greater productivity and innovation in our economy and expanding access to global markets for our value-added products. We also partnered with our stakeholders to deliver on collaborative actions to grow the manufacturing industry.
What we delivered this year
| Activity | Action | Lead agencies |
|---|---|---|
| Opened the Queensland Manufacturing Hub in Toowoomba to strengthen tailored support to manufacturers in the region. | 1.1 |
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| Delivered a Queensland Manufacturing Hub with officers on the Sunshine Coast to provide services to assist local manufacturers grow and create jobs. | 1.1 |
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| Launched the $79.1 million Transforming Queensland Manufacturing Grants Program in February 2026. | 1.1, 2.2 |
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Delivered more than 400 statewide programs to over 1500 participants to assist manufacturers with business development, advanced technology, existing and future workforce planning, and funding and investment pathways. Programs included:
| 1.1, 1.2, 4.1, 4.2 |
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Held an International Women's Day breakfast in Brisbane in March 2026 with more than 500 attendees from Queensland's manufacturing industry, schools and peak bodies. Ran the Women in Manufacturing apprentice awards, with NRMMRRD providing $10,000 for the 2026 Women in Manufacturing Lead Apprentice award and Manufacturing Skills Queensland providing $5000 for the Highly Commended Apprentice award. Held 11 regional Women in Manufacturing events with around 680 manufacturers, stakeholders, educators and students. | 4.1, 4.2 |
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| Supporting local manufacturers to secure contracts with the newly opened Torbanlea rail facility as part of the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program (QTMP). To date, more than $1 billion worth of contracts for rollingstock have been awarded to Queensland businesses. | 3.4, 2.2 |
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| Partnering with prefabAUS to undertake a Queensland-specific modern methods of construction (MMC) industry baseline and growth analysis project to identify the capacity in Queensland's MMC market and growth opportunities. | 1.5, 3.1 |
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| Hosted the Australian Manufacturing Week event in Queensland for the first time, attended by more than 6800 visitors, to showcase the latest innovations, technologies and equipment in the advanced manufacturing industry. | 1.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.5 |
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| Held a manufacturing investment attraction function as part of Australian Manufacturing Week. | 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.3, 4.1, 4.3, 4.5 |
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| Held a manufacturing strategic dialogue session to discuss workforce challenges, attraction and retention as part of Australian Manufacturing Week 2026. | 4.2, 4.4 |
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| Facilitated a delegation of more than 100 regional manufacturers to attend Australian Manufacturing Week 2026 and organised 22 site tours of leading manufacturers across the Brisbane and Toowoomba regions. | 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3 |
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| Invested $6 million to support the manufacturing workforce, including programs to gather critical industry workforce intelligence, grow the pipeline of skilled manufacturing workers and increase workforce participation in the industry for key cohorts including women. | 4.2, 4.4 |
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| Held 4 Queensland Manufacturing Advisory Council meetings to address current issues facing the industry, identify growth opportunities and facilitate discussion about red tape reduction. | 1.2, 4.4, 5.1 |
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| Drove connections to the Australian Government's Industry Growth Program for Queensland manufacturers through the Queensland Manufacturing Hubs. At least 11 grants were awarded to Queensland manufacturers, worth over $17.4 million to date. | 1.4, 2.5 |
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| Partnered with the Food and Beverage Accelerator (hosted at The University of Queensland) to assist Queensland manufacturers to access technical training and masterclasses on food safety and compliance, product development and innovation, and bespoke tailored workshops such as AI in the food and beverage sector. | 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 4.2 |
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| Collaborated with Manufacturing Skills Queensland, the Queensland Farmers Federation and the Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers to undertake supply chain analysis in the food manufacturing sub-sector. | 2.1, 3.1 |
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| Opened the Queensland Resources Common User Facility in Townsville and the Future Industries Flexi-Lab in Mackay to help proponents test, validate and commercialise new critical minerals opportunities with greater confidence. | 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 2.3, 3.2 |
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| Scaled up manufacturing leaders' roundtables across Queensland to deepen insights on improving regulatory frameworks and reducing red tape, which are shared with the Queensland Small Business Commissioner to inform their red tape reduction efforts. | 5.1 |
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| Initiated a research project to explore perceptions, experience and motivation of the manufacturing workforce and the community, and the impact of these factors on attraction and retention. | 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 |
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| Facilitated connections for manufacturers to funding and investment pathways such as the Sovereign Industry Development Fund. | 1.3, 1.4, 2.2 |
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| Supported First Nations manufacturers to access programs and training to grow their businesses and connected First Nations businesses with procurement opportunities for major projects. | 1.1, 2.4, 3.3, 4.2 |
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| Held the 'My Career in Manufacturing' Student Industry Breakfast in Cairns with more than 200 students, 19 teachers and 36 industry partners in attendance to educate and inspire students considering trade pathways into high-growth industries such as maritime, aviation and engineering. | 4.1, 4.2 |
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| Launched the Toowoomba Manufacturing Hub investment attraction pilot project to explore approaches to position the region as an investment-ready destination. | 2.3, 2.4, 4.1 |
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| Facilitated 72 manufacturing workers to complete the Certificate IV in Leadership and Management. | 4.2 |
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| Promoted innovation opportunities through the Queensland Manufacturing Hubs including Private Sector Pathways challenges, the NRL Magic Round Tech Showcase, and the Queensland AI Chapters program, as well as introductions to innovation stakeholders. | 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 |
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- Last updated
- 25 September 2026
- Last reviewed
- 25 September 2026