In less than 24 hours Queensland nurses and midwives were due to receive their scheduled 2.2 per cent pay rise however Labor are still dragging their feet and yet to confirm if they will deliver the increase.
Speaking in Cairns today, Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said the LNP promised the pay rise while in Government however the Health Minister has been silent on the issue.
“Labor continue to show time and time again they are not up to governing this State and have failed to provide certainty for Queenslanders,” Mr Springborg said.
“The Health Minister had plenty of time in Parliament last week to commit to the pay rise however he has chosen to leave nurses and midwives in limbo wondering whether an increase is coming tomorrow.
“In stark contrast the LNP delivered a 12 per cent pay increase to more than 33,000 nurses and tomorrow (Wednesday 1 April) they were due to receive another 2.2 per cent rise which we fully budgeted and costed.
“The Minister is either too busy, proving he is not up to the job or Labor’s lack of a plan has left them unsure how to pay for a wage rise.”
Mr Springborg said even the Queensland Nurses Union had written to Minister Dick requesting his urgent attention to the matter.
“It should come as no surprise that Labor is taking us back down the familiar path of bungles and maladministration of the Queensland health system while under the LNP, Queensland nurses and midwives became among the highest paid in Australia,” he said.
Fast Facts
Under the LNP Government nurses and midwives received pay increases over the 2012-2015 period:
In 2015, in addition to a $500 increase to annual base wages from 31 March 2015 as part of the current EB8 nurses and midwives will receive a further 2.2% wage increase from 1 April 2015.
This benefited more than 33,000 nurses and midwives state-wide.
Labor should immediately outline how much south-east Queensland water consumers stand to save thanks to the LNP’s water reforms.
Shadow Minister for Energy and Water Supply Andrew Powell said the Queensland Competition Authority’s (QCA) final determination on Seqwater’s bulk water prices for 2015-18 was due to be provided to the Labor Government today.
“The draft report outlined price reductions across the Somerset, Logan, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley, Gold Coast and Moreton Bay council areas in 2015-16,” Mr Powell said.
“The bulk water price is expected to increase in some local government areas, but will be lower than previously forecast.
“Consumers will rightly want to know how much they stand to save, which is why the Minister should release the QCA’s final report immediately.”
Mr Powell said while in government the LNP had taken action to put downward pressure on water costs.
“Unfortunately SEQ households are still paying for Labor’s $7 billion debt from unbuilt dams, an unnecessary recycled water treatment plant and dams not connected to water supply.
“We did what we could to reduce costs for Queenslanders by stripping out unnecessary capital expenditure, merging the bulk water entities into one and abolishing the Queensland Water Commission,” he said.
“These cost reducing actions have put downward pressure on future bulk water prices.
“In 2013-14 we were able to reduce Labor’s forecast price increase of $83 down to $49.”
Mr Powell said the Labor Government was yet to outline one policy that would drive down the cost of living for Queensland families.
The only cost of living policy we have seen from the new Labor Government so far is a plan to drive up electricity costs for Queensland families by reducing competition, a plan which has been criticised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission,” he said.
IMPROVEMENTS to the New England, Flinders, Landsborough and Cunningham highways will be delivered as part of the Australian Government’s $229 million National Highway Upgrade Programme.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss said the funding is to improve key arteries on the national highway network in Queensland.
“This programme will fund much-needed upgrading works around Australia such as additional overtaking lanes, road widening, intersection upgrades and pavement reconstruction,” Mr Truss said.
“The Australian Government is allocating $49.3 million through our National Highway Upgrade programme to improve infrastructure for freight vehicles operating in the state’s major resource and agricultural regions, resulting in greater productivity and economic growth.”
Construction on projects funded under the National Highway Upgrade Programme is expected to commence in 2015–16.
The Australian Government is providing $49.3 million through the National Highway Upgrade Programme to projects in Queensland, with the State Government to contribute $12.3 million.
Queenslanders will be forced to cope with fewer nurses in hospitals and longer wait times for surgery under a Labor Government with no plan for the state’s health system.
Shadow Health Minister Mark McArdle has slammed the Palaszczuk Government for failing patients, after it was revealed that it was cutting the number of graduate nurses employed by Queensland Health.
“Yesterday’s speech by the Governor, opening the 55th Parliament confirmed that Labor would not be putting on as many nursing graduates as the LNP,” Mr McArdle said.
“On top of this, Labor is cutting nurse recruitment in half to just 400 extra nurses over four years. That’s significantly less than the LNP’s commitment to deliver 1706 nurses to hospitals across Queensland.
“It comes as no surprise that the Palaszczuk Government is taking the health system back down a path to destruction but it is extremely disappointing they are incapable of learning from previous mistakes.”
Mr McArdle said that the only thing Labor’s ‘Nursing Guarantee’ policy guaranteed was less money and fewer jobs for nurses and midwives.
“Labor’s proposed salary for additional nurses is going to short change them by almost $130 every week and includes no provision for shift-work or remote living,” he said.
“The LNP had promised and budgeted for the average nurse pay to be more than $75,000 from 1 April, not including penalties.
“Four years after Labor’s Health payroll fiasco, when nurses were underpaid or not paid at all, Labor policies still underpay nurses.”
Mr McArdle said that Labor had callously axed the Wait Time Guarantee, despite the Australian-first program delivering real results.
“Former Health Minister Lawrence Springborg took Queensland’s health system from being the worst in Australia to the best in Australia– that is a fact,” he said.
“Now Cameron Dick is doing all he can to erode this success, ignoring the advice of doctors and the pleas from patients and scrapping the Wait Time Guarantee.”
Mr McArdle said Queensland nurses and midwives had already fallen victim to Labor’s bungles and maladministration in the past.
“The health payroll debacle, the fake Tahitian Prince and a Department that Premier Anna Bligh said could not be fixed are just some examples of Labor’s record in health,” he said.
“This Labor Government needs to wake up and realise that an investment in our workforce is investment in caring for the sick.”
Queensland households are bracing for higher power bills after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday admitted that Labor’s electricity merger would proceed even if it meant increased costs to consumers.
Despite vowing not to “do anything… to cause any disruption to Queensland families” Ms Palaszczuk has now said that the government would not do anything “to cause any massive price rises to electricity.”
Shadow Treasurer John-Paul Langbroek the Premier had gone back on her word and appeared to be just making it up as she went.
“In less than a week, Annastacia Palaszczuk has changed her tune on electricity prices,” he said.
“This is just like the asset sales backflip from a few weeks ago - Labor went from not selling assets to not selling ‘major’ assets and now there won’t be ‘massive’ price rises. It’s bordering on the ridiculous.
“Labor’s ‘answer to everything’ scheme to merge electricity companies in an attempt save a buck is only going to hurt the hip pockets of hard working Queenslanders.”
Mr Langbroek said Labor had form when it came to increasing power prices.
“Electricity prices skyrocketed under both the Beattie and Bligh Governments and it looks like it’ll be more of the same under the Palaszczuk Government,” he said.
Last week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) expressed concerns around merging Stanwell and CS energy, warning the move would “affect competition” and ultimately “increase the cost of generation that can flow through to the consumer.”
“This is an ill-conceived idea, that was made up on the run and it’s going to cost households and businesses dearly,” Mr Langbroek said.
“Queenslanders deserve better than a shambolic Labor government that refuses to listen.”
Queensland households are staring down the barrel of higher power prices under a Labor Government, with Australia’s consumer watchdog raising concerns over the ALP’s plan to merge the state’s energy companies.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chairman Rod Sims said he was “concerned” that merging Stanwell and CS energy would “affect competition” and ultimately “increase the cost of generation that can flow through to the consumer.”
Shadow Treasurer John-Paul Langbroek said Labor’s core election pledge had been exposed as a dud.
“During the campaign Curtis Pitt tried to make out that the proposed merger was a ‘silver bullet’ but it has now backfired spectacularly,” Mr Langbroek said
“The keystone of Labor’s economic ‘plan’ has been exposed as nothing more than a harebrained scheme from a Treasurer just making things up on the run.
“It’s no secret that Annastacia Palaszczuk and Curtis Pitt were under immense pressure during the campaign to reveal exactly how they would manage the state’s finances and now it’s become clear that they can’t.
“This smacks of inexperience and incompetence from a government that’s not ready to govern and sadly it’s Queenslanders who will suffer.”
Mr Langbroek said the last time a Labor Government fiddled with the power industry, electricity costs skyrocketed.
“Former Premier Peter Beattie promised Queenslanders lower power prices but they soared. Now it looks like yet another case of history repeating,” he said.
Mr Langbroek said that if the merger thought bubble doesn’t come off, then there was going to be a massive hole in the Budget and Labor would struggle to balance the books.
“Labor has already back flipped on its promise not to sell assets and not to increase debt,” he said.
“Now we have to question whether or not Curtis Pitt can match the LNP’s promise to deliver three fiscal surpluses and not increase or introduce new taxes.
A little over a month in government and Labor is falling apart at the seams.
“Queenslanders deserve better than an inexperienced Labor government just making it up on the run.”
Letter to the Editor
Results out of the Port of Townsville for live cattle export volumes so far this year provide a definite indication of how important this market is for Queensland primary producers.
Volumes of cattle being shipped by exporters have outstripped Darwin for the same period (Jan-Feb) and it looks like they’ll also beat last year’s financial year volumes as well.
This is why Queensland must continue to support the live cattle trade industry. It provides another important market for our primary producers. At this time in particular, for the cattle coming from drought-stricken areas in Queensland which may otherwise have not found a market domestically and now have an opportunity to be exported.
Our producers need competition at the farm gate. Competition makes an industry stronger, not weaker.
Unfortunately, State Agriculture Minister, Bill Byrne’s unsupportive statements surrounding Rockhampton’s proposed market out of Port Alma only creates further uncertainty. The new Labor Government must step-up and work harder for our cattle producers. While I understand graziers have experienced some rising farm gate prices, at a time of potential prosperity, it seems Mr Byrne can only think of negative ideas.
Deb Frecklington
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Tomorrow marks one month since Labor took office and already the Premier has made more backflips than an Olympic gymnast.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition John-Paul Langbroek said a ‘before and after’ snapshot (attached) of the last month highlighted Labor’s broken key election promises and surprise decisions they had no mandate for and kept secret during the election.
“In such a short space of time the Labor Government is starting to unravel and the ‘making it up as they go’ approach will not keep them in good stead with Queenslanders,” Mr Langbroek said.
“This inexperienced government has repeatedly gone back on its word on issues such as asset sales, delivering “jobs jobs jobs”, Wait Time Guarantee and promising to reduce debt.
“Before the election the Premier made a clear promise to Queenslander not to sell their assets and then in true Labor form changed their tune to claim their commitment only applied to ‘major’ or ‘strategic’ assets - the silence from union bosses is deafening.
“Labor has also backed away from its promise to ‘pay down debt with no asset sales’ after the Deputy Premier admitted she planned to leave the door open to increasing the state’s debt revealing they are struggling to manage Queensland’s finances.
“The other key promise Labor made before the election was to deliver “jobs, jobs, jobs” however all we have seen is an infrastructure “freeze, freeze, freeze”.
“Instead of getting on with it and providing job opportunities for Queenslanders, Labor is destroying certainty for industry by putting key projects in doubt like Queen’s Wharf and the Kurilpa redevelopment.”
Mr Langbroek said other policy decisions made on the run by the Palaszczuk Government include the proposed scrapping of the Wait Time Guarantee.
“At no point before the election did Labor indicate this policy would be scrapped and is going against their promise to be consultative and honest,” he said.
“We will be moving a Parliamentary motion to keep the surgery guarantee. The LNP will not stand by and let Labor put patients at risk.”
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Planning, Small Business, Employment and Trade Tim Nichols has welcomed Labor’s acknowledgement of the LNP’s plan for opening up the Galilee Basin.
“As the LNP has always said the expansion of Abbot Point is a vital component in developing the resources sector in North Queensland,” Mr Nicholls said.
“Under the LNP proposal, Queensland taxpayers were never going to foot the final bill for the expansion of this vital piece of infrastructure.
“Never forget Labor originally approved the dredging of 38 million cubic metres of dredge spoil; the equivalent of filling Lang Park 80 times over, we wound that back to three million cubic metres and unlike Labor we weren’t dumping it at sea.
“The Labor Party were environmental vandals. We continually demonstrated that we could grow our economy and create jobs while maintaining high environmental standards.”
Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Mines, State Development and Northern Development Andrew Cripps says the greatest challenge for Queensland will be trusting the Labor Party to see the expansion through to its completion.
“Unlike Labor we recognised the importance of the project not only to the resources sector but also for job creation in regional Queensland,” Mr Cripps said.
“I hope now there is no loss of momentum with the project having to go through a new approvals process.
“I would hate to think additional barriers are placed on the project, but with Labor pandering to their Green supporters there is still a chance the project could face death by a thousand cuts.
“Labor has a poor track record when it comes to balancing environmental concerns with economic development and job creation.
“The LNP delivered real solutions for both the short and long term benefit of the Queensland economy and environment.”
Queensland's $600 million banana industry is this week preparing to confront one its greatest tests in living memory as it awaits the results that will determine whether the tropical race four (TR4) disease has taken hold in the state.
The fungal disease, which wiped out the Northern Territory banana industry in the late 1990s, was first suspected at a farm near Tully late last week.
Biosecurity Queensland quickly commenced a tracing, surveillance and sampling program in the Tully region on Monday to try and locate the source and determine whether the panama disease had spread.
A department spokesman said lengthy and crucial planning procedures as well as the logistics of moving soil between Tully and Brisbane for testing meant the program commenced late last week.
Results from these tests are expected in the coming days.
Opposition spokesperson for agriculture Deb Frecklington toured the North Queensland banana growing regions this week with Federal Nationals Senator Barry O’Sullivan to listen to growers and speak with industry leaders.
Ms Frecklington said State, Federal and local government were working closely with industry to combat the potential outbreak.
She said while there was definite concern among growers, most understood that every available measure was being taken to quarantine the area in question and minimise the spread of further contamination.
"Senator O’Sullivan and I have participated in a number of meetings during the past few days," Ms Frecklington said.
"It is clear that every effort is being made to assist industry and keep major stakeholders informed as developments arise.”
Ms Frecklington said while these were confronting days for the banana industry, she had been impressed by the stoicism among growers who gathered at a public meeting in Mareeba on Monday.
Senator O’Sullivan said the North Queensland tour would be used to collect important 'on the ground' information from growers to be taken back to share with other public policy makers in Canberra and Brisbane.
He said with the banana industry supporting almost 10,000 full time jobs, directly and indirectly, the government had an 'absolute' responsibility to keep the sector strong across North Queensland.
"Matters of biosecurity are above party politics - I don't care if they're red, blue, yellow or purple - we will kick down any door that is needed to ensure our growers are looked after," he said.
"This industry has a long history of confronting adversity - it fought an inspirational war against foreign banana imports - and it won.
"I can't tell you what the outcome will be from this potential outbreak.
"These days would be listed among the industry's greatest challenges in recent memory - but we are standing shoulder to shoulder with them. That's why we are in North Queensland.
“I have been relaying the information to (Federal Agriculture Minister) Barnaby Joyce’s office and will continue to do so.”
Photo: Queensland Nationals Senator Barry O’Sullivan, Pat Leahy, Leahy Farming, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Deb Frecklington, Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, State Development and Northern Development Member for Hinchinbrook Andrew Cripps with Tully growers Heidi Quagliati and Leon Collins.
The new Labor Government has come under pressure to reveal how it will provide the 443 extra classrooms the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) says Queensland needs every year for the next 10 years to cater for growth.
Shadow Education Minister Tim Mander said Queensland students would be forced into “sardine schools” because Labor had no plan to build the necessary infrastructure.
“During the election campaign, Labor didn’t make one commitment to plan and deliver the schools our growing state needs,” Mr Mander said.
“Labor made the same mistake when it was in government last time, which is why state schools were left crumbling under a $300 million maintenance backlog.
“In three short years the LNP cleared this backlog and was delivering an additional 11 state schools in high growth areas across Queensland – three of which opened at the beginning of the 2015 school year.”
Mr Mander said that it was extremely disappointing that Labor’s infrastructure freeze appeared to apply to all job creation projects, even schools.
He said Education Minister Kate Jones still hadn’t committed to continuing the Queensland-first School Planning Commission established by the LNP when it was in office.
“For the first time in our state’s history, we had a coordinated, cross-sectoral process to better plan school infrastructure that was praised by parents, teachers and principals,” Mr Mander said.
“I urge Labor to put politics aside and continue this process so that Queensland kids can have access to a first-class education.”
Mr Mander said it was no secret that the inexperienced Palaszczuk Government had no plan for the economy, no plan for infrastructure and no plan for new schools.
“Queenslanders deserve better than a Labor Government just making it up on the run.”
Fast Facts
The LNP committed to building 11 new schools.
Member for Mackay, Julieanne Gilbert
The Queensland Teachers Union has welcomed the new report into the expected demand for state schools in the region. The Union’s Julieanne Gilbert says the report is a good first step – ABC Radio, 16 July 2014
The Labor Government’s decision to scrap the patient surgery guarantee and replace it with rubbery targets is a farce and needs to be tested on the floor of parliament.
Leader of the Opposition Lawrence Springborg said the Health Minister Cameron Dick and his union bosses do not have a mandate to change the policy, it should be decided by the Parliament.
“Since the government’s announcement yesterday, we have been inundated with concerns from doctors and patients worried that more people will be waiting for surgery if the LNP’s Wait Time Guarantee is scrapped,” Mr Springborg said.
“It has taken less than three weeks for the Health Minister to be captured by the health bureaucracy which have never supported guaranteeing patients their surgery on time, every time.
“In order to protect patients, the LNP will be moving a motion when Parliament resumes to keep the Wait Time Guarantee.
“As we have a hung parliament it is appropriate that each member has the opportunity to vote for what their electorate wants, not what the bureaucrats and union bosses want.”
Mr Springborg said at no point during the election did Labor indicate they would scrap the policy and given they only won 37 per cent of the vote, they do not have a mandate from Queenslanders.
“While the LNP was offering patients a guarantee, Labor is offering watered-down targets that are lower than what was already being achieved,” he said.
“We think patients deserve the best and if we let Labor have their way, the health system will go backwards.”
Mr Springborg said the Health Minister still hasn’t committed to regularly publish health statistics or remain open and accountable when it comes to revealing the waiting list for the waiting list.
“Mr Dick needs to come clean with Queenslanders and be honest about the state of the health system and not keep the waiting list for the waiting list secret, like Labor always did.”
LNP Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Andrew Cripps, has warned regional Queenslanders that the new Labor Government was being two faced about its intentions regarding the state’s vegetation management framework.
Mr Cripps said last week’s press release from Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham, reassuring landholders that it was ‘business as usual’ in Queensland and promising consultation before any changes, was disingenuous and deceptive.
“Labor violently opposed the sensible changes the LNP made to the vegetation management framework in 2013 – Jackie Trad was vitriolic during the debate in the house, exposing the deep green bias that controls the ALP,” Mr Cripps said.
“I’ve no doubt rural industry groups have been pleading with Minister Lynham to try and save the balanced changes the LNP made to the Vegetation Management Act (VMA) from being overturned in the face of rampant lobbying by the greens.
“Minister Lynham’s media release is designed to try and calm down anxious farmers but as the former Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Jo-Ann Miller, has already stated Labor will overturn changes made by the LNP to the VMA.*
“Either Minister Lynham is deliberately misleading rural communities about Labor’s intentions, or he is out of the loop about what Labor promised to the greens in return for preferences to win seats in south east Queensland.”
Mr Cripps said he hoped Minister Lynham took the time to understand the LNP’s 2013 changes, including exemptions for high value agriculture, self-assessable codes for routine activities and reversing breaches of fundamental legislative principles.
“Minister Lynham has promised to consult, but he needs to come clean and tell industry and landholders what deals have already done with the greens, because they remember Labor’s so-called vegetation management consultation of the past,” Mr Cripps said.
“If he wants to secure the productivity gains, improved administration and reduced costs to landholders that helped our agriculture sector, he will have to ensure the LNP’s Vegetation Management Act changes are not sacrificed to feed the green political monster.”
*Queensland Parliamentary Debates, 13 May 2013, page 1578
In a callous move by the Palaszczuk Government, more Queensland patients will miss out on getting necessary surgery on time, with the scrapping of the LNP’s Wait Time Guarantee.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said new Health Minister Cameron Dick was taking Queensland back to the bad old days of a Labor health system – ravaged by blunders, scandals and maladministration.
He said Labor had deliberately ignored the latest elective surgery data released by Queensland Health and was putting patient welfare last to suit its own political agenda.
“If Health Minister Cameron Dick was really serious about patient care then he wouldn’t be scrapping Australia’s first surgery guarantee,” Mr Springborg said.
“Doctors and patients want the Wait Time Guarantee to continue, but Labor is refusing to listen to them.
“So much for the Premier’s vow to consult with Queenslanders, this election promise has gone by the wayside under the influence of union bosses. It’s an absolute disgrace.”
AUDIO AVAILABLE AT: https://soundcloud.com/lawrence-springborg-1
Mr Springborg said Labor had tried every trick in the book to discredit the LNP’s record and the success of the Wait Time Guarantee but it wouldn’t wash because the facts were indisputable.
“When the LNP was elected into office, the health system was on life support after years of appalling mismanagement under Labor,” he said.
“In just three years under the LNP, Queensland’s health system went from being the worst in Australia to the best in Australia. More patients are getting their surgery on time thanks to the LNP’s surgery guarantee – that is a fact.
“The targets Labor has released today are currently below what is already being achieved. Labor is lowering the bar to make it easier on themselves and harder on sick Queenslanders.”
Mr Springborg also questioned whether Labor would continue the LNP’s commitment to regularly publish health statistics.
“Labor has no plan for the economy, no plan for patients and I can guarantee they have no plan to be open and accountable,” he said.
“We know that Labor kept the waiting list for the waiting list a secret for decades, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they tried to do it again.
“This is what you get from an inexperienced government, they’re just making it up on the run.”
Fast Facts – LNP’s Health Record
Reduced the Waiting List for the Waiting list for the first time in history
AMAQ President, Dr Shaun Rudd – January 2015
“I think, you know, we have to give praise where praise is due. And we all know that waiting lists are down… and even the waiting list for the waiting lists are coming down as well.
And we have a system now where we have got various hospital and health services which seem to be working extremely efficiently” - 612ABC Steve Austin
AMAQ President, Dr Shaun Rudd – February 2015
Meanwhile AMA Queensland president Dr Shaun Rudd said the Wait Time Guarantee should be continued.
He said efficiencies within Queensland Health had resulted in extra appointments being made available, which had made improvements in the waiting list after a patient had seen a specialist. – Brisbane Times
The Labor Government’s move to halt progress on the Turbot Street Dental Site development signals further bad news for jobs in the property and construction industries.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Tim Nicholls said the decision by Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to “go back to the drawing board” on this development will be to the detriment of Queensland jobs.
“The Deputy Premier is stalling a development that has significant interest from industry, despite her earlier claims she wouldn’t stop projects already underway,” Mr Nicholls said.
“The current Labor Government is clearly making it up as they go given the land on Turbot Street was originally flagged for sale in 2009 by the then Labor Deputy Premier, Paul Lucas.
“The clear lack of plan by Labor is creating an uncertain environment for business and industry that will ultimately put Queensland jobs at risk.
“Labor is not only walking away from their no-asset sale election promise, they are also walking away from job-creating infrastructure.”
Mr Nicholls said Labor hasn’t had a good week with the pressure of Government getting to them already.
“The Premier back-flipped on asset sales and then the Deputy Premier stepped in putting even more qualifiers around their broken election promise indicating Labor wouldn’t sell “strategic” assets,” he said.
“Labor has no clue and no plan, other than a twelve-month infrastructure freeze that will kill jobs growth in Queensland.”
Shadow Racing Minister Jann Stuckey has criticised the Palaszczuk Government’s $3 million review into the greyhound racing industry for being too light on detail.
Ms Stuckey said the review was expensive and Labor hadn’t made it clear exactly how the money would be spent.
“With a whopping $3 million price tag, you would expect the review to have a bit more to it,” she said.
“Until Labor outlines the Terms of Reference it is difficult to see how this review will make a real difference.
“Queenslanders deserve to know that the money being spent will put an end to these illegal practices.”
Ms Stuckey said it was becoming more and more apparent that the inexperienced Labor Government was just making it up as they went.
“Labor got away with being scant on detail when they were in Opposition but now they’re in government they must do better,” she said.
“What we need to see is a thorough review that not only provides certainty for this billion dollar industry but also ensures that the abhorrent practice of live baiting is stamped out once and for all.”
Ms Stuckey said she wrote to the Racing Minister last week to request a full briefing on the matter.
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Deb Frecklington is visiting Townsville on Tuesday 3rd March to meet with President of the Queensland Seafood Industry Association, Karen Collard and other commercial fishers.
Visiting Townsville with Shadow Minister for Northern Development and local Hinchinbrook MP, Andrew Cripps, Mrs Frecklington said one of her first jobs in her new role was to contact the Seafood Association following Labor’s move to close three areas to commercial fishers in central and northern Queensland.
“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’s domestic seafood industry 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 a group of people who have been left totally in the dark by their new State Government,” she said.
“I’ll be talking with Ms Collard and other commercial fishers to get an overview of how Labor’s rushed decision will affect the industry as a whole and I was pleased to make Townsville and North Queensland one of my first ports of call, along with my friend Andrew Cripps, who is a strong advocate for the north,”
“I want to assure our farmers and fishers my aim is to provide them with strong representation and highlight the issues which are important to our primary producers and their families,” she said.
