Queensland’s infrastructure crisis continues to worsen under the Palaszczuk Labor Government, as another report shows infrastructure investment has slipped by more than 10 per cent in just three months.
Shadow Infrastructure Minister Tim Nicholls said the Deloitte Access Economics Investment Monitor showed the total value of infrastructure projects in Queensland had fallen by $20 billion during the December 2015 quarter.
“Queensland recorded the worst result of any state in Australia, and the reports suggests things are not going to get better any time soon,” Mr Nicholls said.
“Engineering construction in Queensland is described as being in ‘freefall’, with the bottom being ‘some way off yet’.
“This is directly linked to the Labor Government’s lack of economic plan or infrastructure pipeline, which has severely impacted business confidence and is holding Queensland back.
“The report comes off the back of yesterday’s CommSec State of the States Report which showed construction work in Queensland had declined by more than 30 per cent in the last 12 months.
“This was the biggest annual decline in records going back more than 26 years.
“The Australian Bureau of Statistics has also confirmed the dire situation for infrastructure investment in Queensland, with seasonally adjusted business capital investment dropping by 21.1 per cent since the March quarter.”
Mr Nicholls said it wasn’t good enough for Premier Palaszczuk and her ministers to continue to dismiss the findings of these independent reports just because they didn’t like what they said and showed the true state of affairs in Queensland.
“The Treasurer tried to shrug off the findings from CommSec yesterday, I wonder what his excuse will be for today’s report from Deloitte Access Economics?” he said.
“It’s clear this Labor Government has got their heads in the sand on this issue – they’ve been in office for a year now and we’re still yet to see a single new major infrastructure project start.
“Queenslanders deserve better than this. Only the LNP has a Real Economic Plan to take Queensland forward and unleash our state’s true potential.”
Shadow Minister for Health Mark McArdle has said technology is critical to provide nurse more time with patients and better clinical outcomes.
“There is a lot of talk about increasing nurse numbers on wards, but to date the Palaszczuk Labor Government has failed to provide any evidence to substantiate its nurse-patient ratio formula,” Mr McArdle said.
“If we are living in the 21st century we need to look at how we best use technology to provide help and assistance for nurses and doctors with the challenges they face in getting people better and back home.”
In July 2014 Deloitte Access Economics reviewed a bedside touch-screen unit developed by SmartWard to enter in patient data and reduce the amount of paperwork nurses were required to deal with.
The report by Deloitte indicated: “nurses increased the portion of time spent at patient’s bedsides from 32.8 per cent to 48.1 per cent and increased the amount of time they spent interacting with patients from 7.9 per cent to 23.6 per cent.”
Further, the report highlighted that “the system was likely to increase their ‘nurses’ job satisfaction by enabling them to interact with patients more and allow them to focus on high-value activities.”
Mr McArdle said the need for nurses in Queensland’s hospital system was growing daily.
“However, using electronic devices to assist in reducing the burden of nurses dealing with paperwork and allowing better and quicker change-over at the end of shifts means more time with patients, thus better outcomes,” he said.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government needs to start considering technology of this nature.
“It’s simply not good enough to work in the 19th century when 21st century technology exists that is available to help patients and their families.
“It is time for Queensland to start moving forward and this form of technology must be investigated to see how beneficial it will be for all concerned.”
The Palaszczuk Labor Government has been called to explain why the Mayne family is being ousted from its Carnarvon grazing leases before State Parliament releases a final report.
Shadow Environment Minister Stephen Bennett said Labor had clearly decided grazing leases in parks would be axed, irrespective of the final report from Parliament’s Agriculture and Environment Committee.
“Who wouldn’t be suspicious given the Mayne family had been told their grazing lease over 20,000 hectares would not be renewed after March, yet Environment Minister Miles wrote to the local member stating he’d consider the lease once the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s position on grazing in parks was confirmed,” Mr Bennett said.
“To put it simply, Labor’s position is decide first then wait for the report.”
Mr Bennett said Kilkivan graziers Ben and Teresa Day were getting the same Labor eviction treatment, despite the family farming the same land for 140 years.
“Management under Labor is unbelievably wasteful and driven by blind ideology,” he said.
“Labor has no fewer than 80 reviews and taskforces underway, yet here is prime case of a decision having already been made.”
Mr Bennett said the issue was not about grazing livestock in pristine, World Heritage-listed national parks.
“This is about supporting on-going production from areas that have been grazed in some cases for generations and in the Mayne family’s case, a grazing operation that ticks all the boxes as far as sustainability is concerned.”
Gregory MP Lachlan Millar said Labor’s approach was one of double-standards.
“The Mayne family operation, led by Peter and his son Struan and his partner Hanna, is certified organic and follows the Global Animal Partnership’s sustainable code-of-practice.
“Their light, rotational grazing for three to four months a year ensures adequate ground cover while reducing hazardous fire fuel load. Plus they manage feral pests and weeds at no cost to taxpayers.”
Mr Millar said Premier Palaszczuk undertook a lap of regional Queensland last week apparently focussed on supporting jobs and this week announced a series of regional job forums.
“I wish she’d pick up the phone and let Minister Miles know that jobs are important in Central Queensland too, where thousands have been lost in the mining downturn.”
The LNP Opposition has accused Racing Minister Grace Grace of withholding information and making a string of unacceptable mistakes while trying to push through unpopular legislation.
Shadow Racing Minister Jann Stuckey said racing in Queensland continues to go backwards under the new Labor Minister and the industry deserves better.
“On 18 December 2015, I wrote to Minister Grace asking about the transparency of governance processes at Racing Queensland that may breach the Racing Act 2002,” Ms Stuckey said.
“As of today, some five weeks later, I have still not received a reply.
“It is time the Minister answered those questions and many others posed by concerned industry stakeholders and employers.
“It is not surprising the racing industry are angry and restless with the treatment they have received from the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
“I have not seen an industry turned on its ear like this in my dozen plus years of political life.”
Ms Stuckey said under this Palaszczuk Labor Government, industry confidence and Queensland’s racing reputation was under threat.
“Since coming into office, Labor has failed to provide costings of the proposed Integrity Commission, the Tracking Sustainability Report was out of date and the annual report was riddled with errors and had to be corrected,” she said.
“The consultation forums ignored key regional centres and the Minister had to correct the record on the number of attendees who actually attended these events.
“We have seen example after example of a government making it up as it goes and showing nothing but contempt for the racing industry.
“This is the hallmark of a government with no plan, an industry left leaderless, rudderless and without experience at the helm.
“Even though we have a new Minister, the truth is she is no better and not different to the former Minister Bill Byrne.
“Labor is playing a dangerous smoke and mirrors campaign that will have a detrimental effect for years to come while the LNP remains the only party working to secure a positive future for the racing industry.”
A survey seeking views on how to maximise economic opportunities from recreational fishing in the Rockhampton region proved the Palaszczuk Labor Government and Bill Byrne had no idea where they were going with their ‘net-free’ policy.
Launched last week, Rockhampton Regional Council’s online survey comes a year after Labor’s election-eve stunt and the eventual flow-on which has shutdown commercial fishing and killed off dozens of local jobs.
Rubbing salt into the wounds of local business impacted by the shutdown, the survey asks what ‘measures could be implemented to improve the sustainability of our local fishery’ – a fishery that was never at risk.
Shadow Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Deb Frecklington said many local business owners and their families had every reason to be disappointed and angry with local Members Bill Byrne, Brittany Lauga and Labor.
“Especially those businesses that have been impacted, and not just commercial fishers,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Instead of looking after those local businesses and the jobs they support, Bill Byrne, Brittany Lauga and Labor rushed ahead with their policy – a policy that had no backing from any shred of independent, scientific data.
“The idea that public opinion is now being sought on where to go is an absolute insult to those hard-working fishing families, associated local businesses including suppliers, seafood wholesalers and local restaurants that specialised in serving fresh, local barramundi and salmon.”
Ms Frecklington said the public meeting called for this Saturday by locals seeking help to revitalise the once iconic Great Keppel Island underlined the total lack of foresight the Palaszczuk Labor Government had shown.
“The Fitzroy has never been identified as being over-fished or even under pressure from commercial fishing. In fact it’s always been a region where commercial and recreational fishers have co-existed,” she said.
“Labor doesn’t understand that tourists want to experience fresh-caught, local seafood and many have no interest in fishing.
“The real issue the Council should be looking at for the sustainability of local fish stocks is the Fitzroy River barrage, which has been identified over many years as an impediment to barramundi breeding.”
Ms Frecklington said if the Palaszczuk Labor Government and local Members were genuine about maximising sustainable, long-term benefits from fishing, they would commit to overturning their net-free policy if no real, measureable benefits could be identified after 12 months.
Shadow Agriculture Minister Deb Frecklington has called on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to urgently convene a series of high-level meetings to resolve the Hendra crisis in Queensland’s horse industry.
Ms Frecklington said the Workplace Health and Safety prosecutions of three veterinary surgeons meant equine vets effectively had their hands tied.
“Sick, unvaccinated horses can no longer be treated until exclusion tests are done, horses are facing unprecedented welfare issues, and horse owners are blaming vets in this impasse being fuelled by an ill-informed anti-vaccine social media campaign,” she said.
“Horses are suffering because treatments are being delayed while vets are being forced to work with significantly increased risk to their personal safety or else treat vaccinated horses only because they now fear prosecution under the Worksafe Act.
“It’s a terrible mess which is damaging Queensland’s valuable equine industry and the government needs to show leadership.”
Ms Frecklington called on the Agriculture, Health and Racing Ministers to convene an urgent stakeholders’ meeting in Brisbane, followed by meetings in key regional centres including Toowoomba, Nambour, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns.
“Many horse vets were refusing to treat horses not vaccinated against Hendra for fear of facing fines of up to $600,000 and five years’ jail.
“The problem is, no vet can say for certain if any sick horse is infected with Hendra without an exclusion test being carried out and tests can take days for the results to come back.
“In the meantime, if the horse hasn’t been vaccinated, vets are forced to assume it is infected and Biosecurity Queensland guidelines make invasive treatment impossible.”
Ms Frecklington said there was a very strong case for the government to step-in and put a stay on the prosecutions proceeding until the impasse had been sorted out.
“Common sense needs to prevail to allow vets to do their job properly without fear of unfair prosecution.
“This stand-off is a major animal welfare issue with some unvaccinated horses having to wait days for proper treatment and obviously in the overwhelming majority of cases these are horses that do not have Hendra.”
Labor’s Energy Minister Mark Bailey must address community concerns over potential job cuts at state-owned Ergon Energy, the LNP Opposition says.
Shadow Energy Minister Andrew Powell said Ergon workers yesterday walked off the job in Bundaberg, citing fears of job losses and a wind-back in network maintenance as major issues.
“This latest strike in Bundaberg follows a similar walkout in Atherton last week, where the same issues were raised,” Mr Powell said.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government must be held to the commitment they made to protect frontline workers.
“Minister Bailey had previously publicly guaranteed job security for workers at state-owned electricity companies but has now gone to ground.
“It’s concerning for workers and for the community that we’re hearing reports13 Ergon jobs are to be cut from the Fraser-Burnett region alone, but Minister Bailey remains silent.
“Queensland has so much potential but this kind of sloppy administration from Labor is holding our state back.”
Mr Powell said the LNP was also concerned over reports of cuts to crucial maintenance programs at Ergon.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government has loaded up Ergon with the state’s debt and is stripping all profits out of the company to fill their budget black hole,” he said.
“I’ve always feared that these short-sighted decisions could impact network safety and reliability in the future.
“The Energy Minister’s old union even describes the current situation at Ergon as ‘dangerous’ and ‘unsafe’.
“These are very serious claims and more than 733,000 Ergon customers and thousands of employees deserve an upfront response from Energy Minister Mark Bailey on this issue.”
As the LNP continues its extensive consultation process with Queensland’s besieged racing industry the Palaszczuk Labor Government remains hostile, resorting to name calling and harassment of clubs.
Shadow Minister for Racing Jann Stuckey held her third racing roundtable in Brisbane today and said the industry frustration was palpable as they felt shut out by the Labor Government.
“In the last six months I’ve held numerous racing round tables, where participants were unanimous in their desire to see the proposed new Racing Integrity Bill 2015 thrown out saying it was unacceptable and lacked industry input,” Ms Stuckey said.
“Industry anger and frustration is growing rapidly as yet another Labor Racing Minister displays contempt and incompetence, presiding over a leaderless and rudderless industry.
“For the best part of twelve months Queensland’s racing industry has been locked out of discussions that affect its future – letters, emails and calls have been met with a wall of silence.
“Sloppy practices are leading to mistakes and neither Minister Grace Grace nor the Labor Government seem to care while trainers, jockeys and owners leave Queensland and head south to friendlier pastures.”
Ms Stuckey said there had been numerous examples of wrong information in replies to questions, errors made in the Annual Report, timelines being missed and an admission that the Tracking Sustainability report released in December is already out of date.
“How can anyone believe a single word this government says?,” she said.
“It is outrageous that Minister Grace cannot reveal costs for the proposed Integrity Commission yet says the government has a few million dollars set aside to cover the extra costs of the Commission.
“Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has made a lot of noise about cost blow-outs of up to $28 million in Racing Queensland yet she cannot tell the people of Queensland how much this Commission will cost.
“Minister Grace’s inability, after seven months of talk, to say how much the Integrity Commission will cost is further proof Labor has no plan and haven’t a clue what they are doing to racing.
“It hasn’t taken long for the arrogance and sloppiness that typifies Labor to return. They mock proper process and make no apology for deliberately supplying false answers.
“Only the LNP has a plan to restore confidence and unleash the true potential of Queensland’s racing industry.”
Fisheries Minister Leannne Donaldson has been challenged to rule out ‘net-free’ fishing zones along the Bundaberg and Fraser coasts that would hurt commercial fleets and destroy jobs.
Shadow Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Deb Frecklington said attempts by Palaszczuk Labor to shore-up marginal seats with ‘net-free’ zones risked Queensland’s commercial fishing sector and local jobs in Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Maryborough.
“Commercial fishers in those centres need surety from Minister Donaldson there’ll be no more ‘net-free’ zones,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Queensland’s commercial fishing industry is still reeling from Labor’s election-eve stunt this time last year of announcing three net-free fishing zones.
“The impact on supplies of fresh seafood, particularly barramundi and salmon is really biting and the longer-term impact on local fishing jobs is being felt.
“The commercial fishing sector is a major employer in Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Maryborough, accounting for hundreds of local jobs and the Minister needs to provide certainty these jobs will not be destroyed like they’ve been in Rockhampton, Yeppoon and Mackay.”
Ms Frecklington said Labor’s ill-conceived ‘net-free’ policy was not based on any independent, scientific data as finally admitted by previous Minister Bill Byrne.
“The big fear for our commercial fishing industry is the policy will be further rolled-out as Leanne Donaldson tries to shore-up her own seat of Bundaberg and Maryborough, held by Bruce Saunders, both on wafer-thin margins of 1.6 per cent,” she said.
“Palaszczuk Labor and Leanne Donaldson need to recognise that having access to fresh, local seafood is very important to Queenslanders and visitors to Queensland, including those who don’t fish.
“They don’t want to be forced to eat imported seafood, especially farmed product from Asia where health and environmental standards can be dubious, at best.
“Only the LNP can be trusted to support our important primary industries and unleash Queensland’s potential.”
Annastacia Palaszczuk’s return to work has been met with disappointment, after she failed to outline a plan to deliver new projects to create jobs, boost the economy and unleash Queensland’s potential.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said it was time for the Premier to stop re-announcing old projects and start delivering the promises she made a year ago.
Mr Springborg also called on the Premier to address a number of outstanding issues she failed to deal with before her break.
“The bikies are back, the union bosses are back, the Premier’s back and Labor continues to hold Queensland back,” he said.
“Queenslanders are still waiting for the Premier to formally respond to an Auditor-General’s report that panned her first budget, a damning Royal Commission into union corruption and serious allegations of the mishandling of a multi-million dollar Commonwealth Games tender.
“There’s also the matter of Jo-Ann Miller’s possible resignation and the behind-the-scenes jostling between CFMEU bosses and Labor powerbrokers to parachute one of their comrades into the seat.
“The Premier has so far made an art form out of dodging tough questions and leaving her Deputy to clean up the mess, but now it’s time for Annastacia Palaszczuk to act like a real Premier and face these issues head-on.”
Mr Springborg said Queenslanders were still waiting for a formal response about:
The Auditor-General’s report into the state’s financesThe Royal Commission into Trade Union CorruptionThe awarding of the Commonwealth Games’ opening and closing ceremonies tender to an overseas firmThe uncertainty of Jo-Ann Miller’s rumoured resignation and the possibility of a by-electionComments made by Employment Minister Grace Grace, that there was little Labor could do about Queensland’s high youth unemployment rate
Mr Springborg said during its first year in power the Palaszczuk Labor Government had limped from one bungle to the next, completely consumed by its inexperience, incompetence and internal chaos.
“In almost every instance, the Premier went to ground, even taking the unprecedented step of going on a holiday during Estimates when Jo-Ann Miller was first referred to the Ethics Committee,” he said.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk has so far gotten away with having her head firmly buried in the sand for most of 2015, but after one year in power – the jig is up.
“Our great state can no longer afford to be held back by a Labor Premier who not in control is beholden to factional bosses and extreme interest groups. Queenslanders didn’t vote for that.”
Mr Springborg said the LNP would continue to hold the Palaszczuk Labor Government to account.
“Queenslanders deserve satisfaction and they deserve to know where their Premier stands on issues that impact jobs, infrastructure and cost of living,” he said.
“They deserve a Premier with a plan to unleash Queensland’s potential and that’s not what they’re getting from Annastacia Palaszczuk.”
The LNP Opposition is warning that reports of assaults on hospital staff could be the tip of a much larger iceberg and is calling on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to act.
Shadow Health Minister Mark McArdle said he was hearing from health staff – doctors, nurses and paramedics – that underreporting of attacks and assaults was widespread and the published statistics did not cover what was actually happening in our hospitals.
“It is a reality in our hospitals that the number of assaults are underreported,” Mr McArdle said.
“Assault is a criminal offence and I urge any doctor or nurse who is assaulted to press charges.
“It is also time for the Palaszczuk Government to expand the taskforce looking into attacks on paramedics to include assaults on all hospital employees – doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.
“The taskforce should also seek advice and help from the Australian College of Emergency Medicine, the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Nurses Union and Queensland Health.
“We need to understand the extent of the problem then act to ensure protections are in place for all health workers.”
Mr McArdle said the LNP Opposition had tried to quiz the Health Minister at an estimates hearing on the true level of hospital assaults and ‘Code Black’ alerts to no avail.
“It’s quite unacceptable for the Health Minster to refuse to answer questions about assaults on his staff.
“The work undertaken by our health professionals saves lives and we need to ensure, as best we can, that their work environment is safe.”
Queensland's racing industry faces more uncertainty in 2016 as Labor withholds the costs for the proposed new Racing Integrity Commission.
Shadow Racing Minister Jann Stuckey said the Palaszczuk Labor Government was grossly incompetent and deceitful with the latest revelation they could not or would not make public the costs of the new Commission.
“Racing industry confidence is going from bad to worse under Labor’s complete lack of administration,” Ms Stuckey said.
“Delay after delay and outright refusal to answer questions is testing the patience and pockets of many across the state whose livelihoods rely on this industry, whether they be involved with thoroughbreds, harness or greyhounds.
“Deliberate ducking and weaving from questions asked at the December 11 Parliamentary Committee hearing highlighted that Labor are making it up as they go and have no plan for the industry.
“Labor’s reply to a question from Burnett MP Stephen Bennett during the hearing proved the Racing Integrity Commission’s budget had not been finalised even though it will be operational from April 1 if legislation is passed.”
Ms Stuckey said industry and government sources expected the cost of the Commission to be anywhere between $16 and $20 million, a blow out of up to $12 million.
“This cost blow-out is outrageous and unacceptable, especially as the Palaszczuk Government have shouted from the rooftops that Racing Queensland was in a dire financial state with huge cost blowouts of $28 million,” she said.
“In simple terms the left hand hasn’t a clue what the right hand is doing as the industry remains rudderless, leaderless, without a Board and unsupported.
“Last December Acting CEO Ian Hall sent letters to clubs calling for insurance payments back-dated to 2010 totalling many thousands of dollars, causing enormous anxiety to some clubs who could have been bankrupted – clubs like Mt Isa, Goondiwindi, Beaudesert and Julia Creek.
“Then when clubs pointed out there had been a mistake the CEO back-peddled and sent out a ‘wait and see’ letter further eroding industry confidence.
“Queensland's racing industry has every right to be deeply concerned as this Labor Government continues to tear it apart, having no consideration or understanding of the damage they are doing.
“Where is Minister Grace and what is she doing to instil any confidence in Queensland’s racing industry?
“Instead of swanning around at Magic Millions functions and claiming credit for Australia’s richest race day she should be listening to the industry and not only bean counters and administrators with little or no industry experience.”
The Palaszczuk Labor Government was ignoring the growing menace of wild dogs in the Gold Coast Hinterland, the LNP warned today.
Shadow Agriculture Minister Deb Frecklington called on the government to guarantee vital funding for the Springbrook-based wild dog control officer beyond March.
“Labor has made much of its $5 million pest animal election commitment, but none of this money is getting out there on the ground,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“Under Labor, the QDOG (wild dog advisory committee) has lost its focus because no one in the Palaszczuk ministry is interested.”
LNP Member for Mudgeeraba Ros Bates, whose electorate includes Springbrook, said locals were fed up.
“Our Landcare Group keeps raising the issue and the desperate need for on-going resources, but the government is not listening,” Ms Bates said.
“Springbrook and Numinbah Valley resident are genuinely lively in fear.
“They need on-going, coordinated control programs to reduce wild dog numbers.”
Peter Yaun, Co-Chair of the Gold Coast and Hinterland Pest Management Group, said funding was imperative in the Numinbah Valley and Springbrook.
"There are more and more wild dogs in the hinterland which are becoming braver and used to humans and coming much more closely to them than in the past," said Mr Yaun.
"It is important that trappers follow up after the baiting rounds and we need more funds from the State Government to do this."
Ros Bates said the Queensland Government needed to remember the Gold Coast Hinterland was a country area with all the inherent problems such as wild dogs and feral cats that were common to more recognised rural settings.
"Funding for baiting has been ongoing issue in the hinterland and while the local groups are working well together we urgently need more state funds for their work to continue," she said.
The Queensland Agriculture sector is being held back by an incompetent minister and a Labor Government that doesn’t care.
Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Andrew Cripps said Agriculture Minister Leanne Donaldson continued to show she was out of her depth in key areas of the $400 million portfolio she is in charge of.
“Minister Donaldson has once again demonstrated an embarrassing lack of understanding about wild dog management and cluster fencing in Queensland,” Mr Cripps said.
“In a media statement released today Minister Donaldson tried to claim that the LNP had shown no interest in this issue of wild dog control.
“This is not only demonstrably untrue, but a damning indictment of her lack of knowledge on the issue.
“The previous LNP Government agreed to fund a pioneering cluster fencing project near Morven in south west Queensland, and I know this because I was the Minister who agreed to it.
“We progressed the development of the cluster fencing approach to wild dog and feral animal control, as a means of increasing pasture availability and boosting productivity for Queensland’s agriculture sector.
“The reason why the Queensland and Australian Governments now have more than sixty expressions of interest to undertake similar projects, is because the former LNP Government backed a group of landowners to prove the concept would work.”
Mr Cripps said former Agriculture Minister John McVeigh reinvigorated the QDog committee after it had become defunct and ineffective under the previous Beattie and Bligh Labor Governments.
“Minister Donaldson either conveniently forgot about this fact in her misleading statement, or her inexperience has forced her to resort to spouting the typical Labor Party line,” he said.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government has spent the last twelve months going around in circles on the issue of wild dogs thanks to the incompetence of former D-Grade Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne.
“Shadow Agriculture Minister Deb Frecklington continues to work hard to keep this conga line of bungling Labor ministers to account.
“Only the LNP has the competence, experience and stability to ensure the Queensland’s agriculture sector reaches its full potential.”
Opposition Leader and Member for Southern Downs Lawrence Springborg is encouraging local primary producers hit hard by the recent spate of storms to apply for natural disaster assistance through the Queensland Government.
Mr Springborg said farmers were still recovering from the wild storms that ripped through the Darling Downs last week wiped out crops and damaged homes.
“There’s a number of different support services on offer to assist small businesses that have been badly impacted by these storms to get back on their feet,” he said.
Member for Condamine Pat Weir, who has personally inspected the damage at a number of properties, said the storm damage was the worst he’d seen.
“As someone who has lived in the area my whole life, I’ve never witnessed this level of destruction,” Mr Weir said.
“It’s still unclear what the cost of the damage will be at this stage, but some estimates are in the tens of millions of dollars.
“Local families and businesses have really been hit for six. That’s why I’m encouraging insurance companies to employ local contractors for the structural repair work.
“This would give our local community the boost it needs to overcome this challenging time.”
Mr Springborg and Mr Weir commended Ergon workers for the wonderful job they did to restore power to thousands of homes.
“My heartfelt thanks goes to the Ergon crews who worked tirelessly during the Christmas and New Year period,” Mr Springborg said.
“More than eighty broken power poles were repaired, in what was a challenging task in very difficult conditions, so I congratulate Ergon for keeping customers informed and getting the power back on,” Mr Weir said.
For information on applying for Queensland Government disaster recovery assistance, go to: https://www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies/financial-assistance/index.html or call the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349
The LNP Opposition is calling on the receivers of Dick Smith electronics stores to honour gift cards purchased recently in the lead up to Christmas and the New Year.
Shadow Attorney-General Ian Walker said Dick Smith going into voluntary administration was unhappy news for many Queenslanders who received gift cards for the retailer as Christmas presents and had not yet had a chance to redeem the vouchers.
“In the two weeks since Christmas many people who received gift cards as presents wouldn’t have been able to redeem them yet,” Mr Walker said.
“These cards were purchased in good faith and Queenslanders should get a fair chance to use them.
“In the spirit of Christmas and a New Year Dick Smith’s administrators should do the right thing by Queenslanders and allow them to use the store credit they are entitled to.”
Despite patchy to heavy falls in western and northern centres of Queensland, the drought is far from broken.
Shadow Agriculture Minister Deb Frecklington said more general rain was needed over the coming weeks and months to break the drought afflicting nearly 90 per cent of Queensland.
“Even then, it could take years for individual farms and local towns to recover,” Ms Frecklington said.
“While falls of 20 to 50mm have been received in western centres, many areas have missed out.
“Good falls have been recorded in the parts of the far southwest, Warrego and Central Highlands, however more widespread rain is needed right across the state before we could even think of saying the drought is over.
“As the saying goes, it doesn’t rain money. Even with continued good falls and pasture growth, it will take years for farming and grazing operations to generate the cash-flow needed to get back to where they were.
“This will be particularly so for breeding operations that have all-but de-stocked, because even with a return to normal seasons, the challenge will be re-stocking at record saleyard prices.
“Accessing finance to re-build herds could well be beyond many, with debt-equity ratios stretched after years of little to no income.
“We keep hearing cattle prices are the best in 30 years, but no one has got any cattle to take advantage of the market.”
Ms Frecklington said while there had been support for fencing programs for pest animals, weed outbreaks were inevitably a big issue when droughts broke.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government needs to ensure every regional program is running as efficiently as possible. This is critical for programs aimed at helping farmers and landholders to combat weeds and feral animals.
“The spread of weed seeds, especially prickly acacia, from storms along western watercourses will again be a major issue, while there’ll be weed outbreaks from trucked-in fodder.
“Government and quasi-government programs need to be fully accountable and deliver genuine value, not just for local employment, but for real, on-the-ground outcomes.”
The Palaszczuk Labor Government is finally seeking public comment on fish management changes with a call for submissions on Fish Habitat Areas in Central Queensland.
Shadow Fisheries Minister Deb Frecklington said Labor’s net-free zones overseen by Bill Byrne was a prime example of a political agenda rammed through with no consultation or regard for science.
“Bill Byrne’s refusal to consult and meet with commercial fishers was disgraceful,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Labor’s treatment of the commercial fishing sector has been shameful resulting in the destruction of long-term, sustainable jobs without so much as a phone call to hard-working Central Queensland families whose businesses have been destroyed.”
Ms Frecklington said protecting key fish habitat areas was vital for all fishing sectors.
“But so too is full consultation with all stakeholders in any sector before changes are made.”
She said the fallout from the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s net-free zones had been terrible, deeply affecting a lot of decent, hardworking families.
“Calls this week from Bill Byrne and Member for Keppel Brittany Lauga for all interested stakeholders to provide feedback on proposed new fish habitat areas in Central Queensland is nothing short of two-faced when they refused to hear from commercial fishers over net-free zones,” she said.
“Here’s hoping Labor properly considers all submissions before making any more fisheries management decisions, because so far its agenda has been all about politics and delivering to noisy, self-interested minorities.”
Ms Frecklington said only the LNP was committed to sound, science-based fisheries management.
