Innovatia

THE JEWEL OF THE SUNBURNT COUNTRY Queensland, Australia’s 2nd largest state by land mass, enjoys an unrivalled global reputation for being the jewel of “Downunda”. W ith 13,347 km of coastline, includ- ing 1,955 recorded islands as well as 1,711 beaches, is it any wonder why the Sunshine State is Australia’s leading tour- ism destination -- attracting nearly 2 million in- ternational tourists each year? It also has the largest forested area in Australia and five of her eleven World Natural Heritage areas. Off the coast of Queensland is the world’s largest coral reef, called the Great Barrier Reef, and Fraser Island the world’s largest sand is- land. Queensland holds the record for Austral- ia’s highest permanent single drop waterfall. Remarkably, its landmass is larger than all but 15 countries around the world while its pop- ulation, a modest 5.3 million, is roughly the

same as New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, and Ireland. Does Queensland offer more than just a nice place for a holiday and lifestyle without peer? Old stereotypes held in the southern states, and to some extent overseas, die hard. As editors, we felt strongly that an incisive and contemporary portrayal was overdue. A Rich History of Pioneers Queensland has a rich history of national and world firsts in many endeavours. Queensland pioneered the state secondary education sys- tem, and compulsory voting in Australia 100 years ago. Most will not know that Queensland was the first state in the British Empire to abol- ish capital punishment. Queensland was the first state to introduce free primary education in Australia. It was also the first state to moot the idea of Anzac Day and to be granted a Coat of Arms. Queensland was the first parliamen-

tary library in Australasia to make use of com- puterised information storage and retrieval. In healthcare, it was the first state in Australia to establish a Cancer Institute and lead the nation in the computerization of all medical records. With the tyranny of distance to contend with, it also pioneered the Flying Doctor Aerial Services. Queensland was the first Australian state to de- velop an electric vehicles strategy. Queensland was the first state to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of breastfeeding. Queensland was the first state in Australia to use natural gas for town lighting. And of great import for entrepre- neurs: Queensland is the first state to set a tar- get to do business with more local Queensland small and medium sized businesses. A Rising Economic Powerhouse Socially and economically, Queensland is as unique, rich, and diverse as its natural environ-

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INNOVATIA

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INNOVATIA

| Queensland Economic and Innovation Special Report

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