The system is broken in Queensland, and it is broken because the Queensland Labor government wrecked it. After more than 14 years we saw the High Court say so with their decision to send the New Acland expansion back to the Land and Environment Court in Queensland. While the decision is a legal win for the New Hope Group, putting aside the original decision—a decision that was hijacked by Green- Left activists—it is no win for the Oakey community, the workers, their families and the local economy. It is the Queensland Labor government’s approvals process that is delivering dither and delay for resources projects in Queensland, hurting jobs, the economy and investment.
The Queensland Labor government must fix their farce, a farce that not only has cost jobs but is threatening to cost more jobs. Workers are anxious, business is uncertain and the Queensland economy lags behind, under the Queensland Labor government.
What is at risk under a future Queensland Labor government? $37.8 billion in direct spending to the Queensland economy is at risk, as are 38,592 direct full-time resident and contract employees. In addition, there were 14,084 full-time-equivalent contract workers employed in the resources sector in Queensland in 2019 and 2020, $27 billion in purchased goods and services from almost 15,000 local businesses and, most importantly, $4.4 billion in royalties to the state Labor government, improving their dismal budget— (Time expired)