Central Queensland region employers are being urged to access the Palaszczuk Government’s extended offer of $20,000 for businesses hiring staff aged between 15 and 24 years.

Member for Rockhampton and Minister for Rural Economic Development Bill Byrne said almost 260 people have been helped back into work in the central Queensland region already through the Government’s $100 million two-year Back to Work program.

Member for Keppel Brittany Lauga said almost 60 of those have been helped through the Back to Work Youth Boost. The Youth Boost offers employers up to $20,000 when employing staff aged between 15 and 24 years.

Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher said the Youth Boost was due to end on 28 February, but the Government has decided to extend it until 31October.

Member for Mirani Jim Pearce said as regional MPs, he welcomed the decision to extend until 31 October and urge employers to take advantage of it.

Local employers looking to hire to get more information on Back to Work – call 13 74 68.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the majority of applications have come from small business with 367 have come from businesses with one to four employees, while another 610 applications were from businesses with staff of five to 19.

“More than one-in-four of the regional Queenslanders supported into the workforce by Back to Work program are long-term unemployed. For those long-term unemployed, our program offers an employer support payment of $15,000,” she said.

For more detail about Back to Work

• call 13 74 68
• email backtowork@treasury.qld.gov.au ( mailto:backtowork@treasury.qld.gov.au )
• go to link https://backtowork.initiatives.qld.gov.au/ ( https://backtowork.initiatives.qld.gov.au/ )

 Link to video statements

• Bill Byrne https://www.dropbox.com/s/pg3585rfz3i59g9/BYRNE%20-%20Back2Work.mp4?dl=0 (external site) ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/pg3585rfz3i59g9/BYRNE%20-%20Back2Work.mp4?dl=0 )
• Brittany Lauga https://www.dropbox.com/s/bowwg3mi14p8228/LAUGA%20-%20Back2Work.mp4?dl=0 (external site) ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/bowwg3mi14p8228/LAUGA%20-%20Back2Work.mp4?dl=0 )
• Glenn Butcher https://www.dropbox.com/s/ekwsrxea028y5hz/BUTCHER%20-%20Back2Work.mp4?dl=0 (external site) ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/ekwsrxea028y5hz/BUTCHER%20-%20Back2Work.mp4?dl=0 )
• Jim Pearce https://www.dropbox.com/s/cmu3kr341btbht7/PEARCE%20-%20Back2Work.mp4?dl=0 (external site) ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/cmu3kr341btbht7/PEARCE%20-%20Back2Work.mp4?dl=0 )

Media contact: Kirby Anderson (Premier's office) 0417 263 791