Today’s official launch of the University of Southern Queensland-led iLAuNCH Trailblazer Program greenlights Toowoomba’s future in the space industry.
The $180 million project includes $50 million of federal funding provided under the former Coalition government’s Trailblazer Universities Program.
Federal Member for Groom, Garth Hamilton, says he is proud to have worked closely with Vice-Chancellor, Geraldine McKenzie, to secure government funding and he is excited to see the project come to fruition.
“This is such an important project for our region and a significant step forward as we continue to pioneer new economic opportunities.”
“This is the right time for a project like this to be hitting Toowoomba. We’re growing. We’ve got so many exciting things happening, and the linkage with our defence industry in the area is going to be so crucial,” Mr Hamilton said.
The project is a giant step for the Australian space sector and will cement Australia as a global player in the space industry.
“This is about bringing a new field of research to Toowoomba, new careers for young locals, and new opportunities for businesses in our region to get involved in space engineering,” Mr Hamilton said.
A significant investment in regional Queensland, the iLAuNCH program will provide local jobs and is expected to generate over $3.65 billion in economic benefits across the region and Australia.
“This is a vision, not only for Toowoomba, but for Australia.”
ENDS
