Queensland is crying out for support and leadership, after a new report showed Queenslanders are worse off today than they were eight years ago.
LNP Deputy Leader and Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said the Australian Local Government Association’s annual State of the Regions report showed the Wide Bay Burnett region in particular was suffering under a do-nothing Labor Government.
“Wide Bay has the highest unemployment rate in Australia with almost half of all people in Wide Bay Burnett region are not working,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Last year 30,000 jobs disappeared from Queensland. This was our worst year on record, with no signs of improvement from this do-nothing Labor Government.
“Labor has slashed infrastructure spending in the region, meaning less jobs and investment.
“Our regions are struggling and this do-nothing Labor Government has no plans to turn things around.”
Ms Frecklington said the report also highlighted the need for urgent infrastructure to be built in the regions.
“Our ‘New Deal’ for Regional Queensland is focused on building a better Regional Queensland would create jobs and deliver much needed infrastructure,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Labor has no roots in regional Queensland and that’s demonstrated by their actions to strip $3 billion out of infrastructure spending, their decision to back a Singapore multinational over our canefarmers, their decision to abolish the successful Royalties for the Regions program and their attempts to wind back our pragmatic Vegetation Management Reforms.
“We need to build things again, we need the Bruce Highway to be fixed once and for all, we need dams for water security, agricultural industry expansion and better government services.
“We will restore Royalties for Regions and start spending on infrastructure again, including dams, roads, bridges, community services and ports.”
Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said Wide Bay Burnett has the lowest disposable income per person of any region.
“Wealth per household has also dropped in our region and Bundaberg families are struggling with the cost of living,” Mr Bennett said.
“This is why we are committed to reducing household costs, including freezing family car registration for three years.
“Queenslanders have been stranded for three years without leadership, without direction, without a clear plan.
“Labor’s legacy is one of devastation – 30,000 jobs lost last year alone, massive cost of living increases, raids on public servants’ superannuation, shovelling of debt onto Government-owned corporations and a soft-on-crime approach that has put fright into regional Queenslanders.”
Monday, 19 June 2017