Paul Fennelly explains his move out of the State Development Department in 2006 and outlines his final government role as CEO of a new body, Forestry Plantations Queensland. He reflects on the momentum shifts in the government's agenda during the transition from Peter Beattie to Anna Bligh as Premier.
Paul Fennelly speaks of his department's interest and activity in the energy sector, in particular the gas export industry. He describes the Beattie Government's eagerness to pursue sources of energy production in addition to coal.
Paul Fennelly talks about his department's role in supporting development projects and investment in Queensland's traditional primary industries, and the department's relations with this sector. He outlines the importance of the role of Coordinator General in determining support for certain projects, but notes that this process may have become overused by state governments.
Paul Fennelly describes the addition of the Innovation portfolio to the State Development Department under the Beattie Government. He comments on the machinery of government changes following elections generally, and on the changes specifically to State Development while he was Director General.
Paul Fennelly details some of the projects across Queensland that he oversaw as the Coordinator General. He notes that while much of the Smart State agenda saw activity focused on the State's south-east corner, there was huge investment and development projects in other regions. He also outlines some of the role's chief responsibilities.
Paul Fennelly outlines his department's role in supporting the Research & Development sector and attracting high-technology industries and researchers to Queensland. He comments on the success that university vice-chancellors enjoyed in lobbying the Beattie Government. He states that this 'innovation' agenda was driven by Premier Beattie who enjoyed close links with research industry figures.
Paul Fennelly describes his department's role in implementing the Beattie Government's Smart State agenda. He gives his impressions of how the strategy was being received by industry and within the government, and how funding for initiatives was procured and dispersed. He reflects on the department's achievements in attracting new industries to Queensland.
Paul Fennelly outlines the challenges he faced and alliances he built heading his department after coming into the public service from an industry role. He talks about the central role of the Coordinator General and how he combined this with his position as Director General.
Paul Fennelly describes the standing of the Department of State Development in relation to the Beattie Government's overall agenda. He speaks about the department's ministers and their relations with other senior Cabinet members.
Paul Fennelly gives his impressions of the early Beattie government and its relations with industry and the business sector in Queensland. He comments on that government's strong relations with the university sector, and how these as well as its industry links helped to establish the Smart State agenda. He describes how, after three years with the AI Group in Victoria, he returned to enter the Queensland public service.
