Australia's upcoming budget will address talent gaps within the general population.

Simon Crean, the regional minister for Australia, has revealed meeting the demand for skilled workers and cutting down on the country's skills shortage is to be a priority in next month's announcement.

Speaking in Brisbane at the inaugural forum for Queensland's regional development committees, he said: "We have to take the reality of the wealth that the resources boom is going to create for this nation and invest it in the future of the nation through a more broadly based economy."

Mr Crean added that the government will be making the rollout of a broadband network and boosting interactive learning to address talent gaps a priority.

Meanwhile, Smart Company recently reported the Chinese government is hoping to introduce import competition into infrastructure systems in Australia by developing enormous projects planned for the Queensland and Western Australia regions at a mere "fraction" of the cost if they were developed in Australia.

Posted by Sarah Dixon