Last weeks’ Budget from the Palaszczuk Labor Government promises much but delivers little for people in regional Queensland.
Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and State Development, Andrew Cripps said despite promising to boost business development, increase economic growth and create jobs, nothing in Labor’s first Budget delivered on these commitments.
“Labor says it will facilitate private sector development by case managing regionally significant private sector projects in key industry sectors, but the Budget doesn’t say where they are,” Mr Cripps said.
“The Palaszczuk-Gordon Government says it will maximise opportunities for Queensland businesses in regionally significant public projects, but doesn’t say what they are.
“It says it will implement industry and regional development strategies, but it doesn’t say where and when.
“What the Budget does do is promote is the commencement of a $200 million Building our Regions program, which is simply a weakened version of the LNP’s flagship Royalties for the Regions initiative.
“It is a smaller, shorter and narrower version of the LNP’s initiative and a backwards step for regional Queensland.”
Mr Cripps said the Palaszczuk Labor Budget also indicated an unsurprising return to the bad old days of pandering to conservation groups.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government wants to overturn the sensible and balanced reforms the former LNP Government made to the Vegetation Management Act, repeal the long overdue and much needed reforms to the Water Act and increase red tape for resource sector projects, instead of providing an improved environment for investment and job creation,” he said.
“Labor’s priority is to satisfy the extreme Greens’ agenda rather than pursue development opportunities in regional Queensland.
“That’s what Labor offers regional Queensland in this budget. Lots of talking but not much doing.
“Regional Queenslanders didn’t vote for that and they deserve more than this Labor Budget offers.”
