Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Deb Frecklington says Labor’s move to close three areas to commercial fishermen in central and northern Queensland is policy on the fly with no consultation with key stakeholders.
Mrs Frecklington said she said this knee jerk reaction is evidence of Labor’s negative attitude towards primary producers.
“The LNP puts a major focus on primary industries because we know how important this sector is to our State, as opposed to Labor, which up until the election didn’t even have a fishing policy. Queensland will go backwards because of Labor's indecision, inexperience and lack of commitment to this vital industry,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“In this instance, they have committed to a policy of closing three areas to commercial fishermen with absolutely no consultation. Nobody in the region has been given the opportunity to voice their opinion and the result is we have group of people who have been left totally in the dark by their new State Government,” she said.
Mrs Frecklington said she will be meeting with Queensland Seafood Industry Association President, Karen Collard early next week to discuss the announcement and the impact it will have on the State’s commercial fishermen.
“I’ll be talking with Ms Collard to get an overview of how this decision will affect the industry as a whole,”
“We must have a wholistic approach. I’ll be assuring the industry that I understand commercial fishing supports and create jobs and drive economic growth. Commercial fishing works alongside recreational fishing and the two shouldn’t be pitted against each other,” she said.
“Overall, I am extremely concerned that under Labor our fishing sector will seriously suffer, and already they have merged the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry with Sport and Racing, which to me shows there is little regard for the people who produce our food. Once again primary industries has been absorbed by super bureaucracy which just won’t be able to fully focus on this key industry,” she said.
State Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Deb Frecklington says she is astonished by the new State Minister for Agriculture, Mr Bill Byrne’s statements about his opposition to the live cattle trade industry.
Mrs Frecklington said it is concerning that the new State Minister for Agriculture is opposed to the live cattle industry, given the disastrous results of the former Federal Labor Government’s live-trade ban and the massive negative impact it had on our beef industry.
“Unfortunately, for farmers in Australia farm gate prices are generally lower than prices received in third world economies such as Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. When compared with the USA and Canada, our producers receive about half,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“For this reason, our producers need competition at the farm gate. By his statement opposing live cattle trade, I question what Mr Byrne is trying to do to the farm gate price?” she said.
“And while I understand graziers are currently experiencing a rising farm gate price, at a time of potential prosperity, it seems Mr Byrne can only think of negative ideas,”
“Live cattle trade provides another important market for our primary producers. It works alongside other markets such as meatworks and feedlots. The live trade is a professional, regulated industry,”
“Competition makes an industry stronger, not weaker. I firmly disagree with Mr Byrne’s opinion that the live cattle trade threatens the viability of the region’s meat processors. This is not the case, with live-trade being an important and complementary industry for our State’s cattle producers,” she said.
Mrs Frecklington said that right now, our producers don’t need the processing and live export sectors to be pitted against each other. She believes the statement has been made to keep Mr Byrne’s union bosses happy, with little thought for the ramifications if may cause to an entire industry.
“Live cattle trade provides choice for producers to market their cattle. Without it, we all know what happens. Primary producers unable to offload stock. Families driven to the wall. Families who are already suffering the effects of droughts, floods and now cyclones,” she said.
“The LNP remains committed to enhancing the live cattle export trade and is committed to recognising that the industry’s associated jobs and development opportunities are vital to a balanced industry. We cannot afford Queensland to go backwards because of Labor's indecision, inexperience and lack of commitment to this vital industry,” she said.
Leader of the Opposition Lawrence Springborg has offered the Premier bi-partisan assistance, following the impact of Cyclone Marcia on Queensland.
“The safety of Queenslanders is paramount and we thank the emergency service workers, the police, the weather bureau, local councils and all involved for their hard work during such trying times,” Mr Springborg said.
“While cyclones are an unfortunate part of living in Queensland, and extensive preparations have been made, it doesn’t negate the trauma and uncertainty many Queenslanders will experience today and in days to come.
“My Shadow Emergency Services Minister Jarrod Bleijie has requested a briefing from emergency services and is keenly awaiting advice.”
Mr Bleijie joined the Premier in appealing to Queenslanders to stay calm and look after each other.
“SES crews have already had thousands of calls for help but when it is safe, any assistance we can give our neighbours and friends in providing shelter and comfort will make a difference,” he said.
“I encourage everyone to heed the advice of our emergency service authorities. Do not drive into flooded roads and take unnecessary risks.”
Mr Bleijie takes on his new role as part of the LNP shadow cabinet line-up.
The full LNP Shadow Cabinet list can be found at: https://lnp.org.au/our-team/state-team/shadow-cabinet/
The newly-appointed Parliamentary leader of the LNP, Health Minister Lawrence Springborg, visited frontline ambulance officers at South Brisbane this morning to view progress on the roll-out of new, specialised QAS services.
Mr Springborg met officers at the Logan Road ambulance station, where new services and techniques have helped reduce ambulance response times and the time taken for patient transfer at hospital emergency departments.
“The QAS has the best trained paramedics in Australia,” Mr Springborg said. “Since 2012, better co-ordination between hospitals and arriving ambulances has reduced the time taken for patient transfer state-wide by 12 minutes.
“The range of specialised QAS services today is greatly enhanced, with successful high-acuity trials, a roll-out of new defibrillators and the use of clot-busting medication just three examples of advanced life-saving techniques now being extended across the service.”
Another successful initiative, the QAS Trauma Response Team, which serves a metropolitan population of about 2.4 million people, has begun training for an extension to the Gold Coast for the first time.
Mr Springborg said the Trauma Response Team is a small group of critical care paramedics who attend severely injured patients in a catchment area west to Ipswich, north to Caboolture and south to Pimpama.
“TRT paramedics undertake field anaesthesia (life support), surgical procedures to the chest, perform diagnostic ultrasounds and administer blood transfusions. All of these interventions have a valuable potential to improve outcomes for seriously-ill patients.”
The Health Minister said TRT operations are subject to close clinical oversight and audit.
“Our TRT paramedics are mentored by medical specialists from the major trauma hospitals who have also participated in intensive training in QAS operations."
TRT operations will be extended to the Gold Coast area in 2015, extending the total catchment population to 3 million Queenslanders.
Initial ultrasound training began 2 weeks ago, with an intensive education phase starting this month. This will involve direct oversight by senior doctors and paramedics and simulation exercises in biomedical laboratories.
