Queensland launches campaign to lure workers to work in regional Queensland

Queensland has enjoyed an influx of visitors since February, but local operators have been unable to capitalise on the boom because of workforce shortages. Some have even had to limit their bookings to 80 per cent of their capacity. And the Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk is pulling out all the stops to lure tourism and hospitality workers to Far North Queensland.

Philip Barbaro at one of his Sydney Cafes Source: SBS

The 7.5 million dollar campaign rolls out from the first of July, just before the region's peak holiday season. Mark Olsen is the Chief Executive of Tourism Tropical North Queensland.

"This is paradise but it's not the paradise that makes the difference, it's the people that  make the difference - it's the talented workforce who create those memorable moments and what we want to do this winter is help so many of those businesses who are trying to close the two billion dollar gap left by COVID in 2020."

The initiative will also include travel vouchers and low-cost accommodation. But some say the 1500 dollar payments might not be enough when people factor in the expense of moving states.

And some critics of the scheme say it could exacerbate the problem of staff shortages in other parts of the country.

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