THERE was a great turnout in Cloncurry on Thursday for the Grow Queensland forum organised by this newspaper in conjunction with Queensland Country Life.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The forum looked at some of the big issues affecting the region across the major pillars of agriculture, our towns, health and youth resilience.
One issue raised was the need for more efficient supply chains which are currently geared for the major domestic markets of Sydney and Melbourne.
Why, the panel asked are we growing tomatoes in Bowen sending to Brisbane and then shipping back to retailers in Townsville?
Water infrastructure was another major issue development, with projects and plans bogged in red tape impeding development.
Pastoralist and local legend Don McDonald said he wasn’t afraid of foreign investment, saying the North West was built on foreign money and was now desperate for foreign capital to finance national building projects like inland rail.
Mount Isa youth ambassador Justice King, 17, was by far the youngest panelist ever at one of these forums and she brought a fresh and enthusiastic approach to dealing the problems of youth resilience and the need for better role models among the young.
It wasn’t all just about issues and there was excitement shown about the potential of a multitude of things like the Skymuster satellite, telehealth and access to digital curriculum for rural/remote students.
A big thanks are due to the 11 great panelists that steered us in a thoughtful discussion on ways forward.
They are Tom Kennedy (Elders Live Export Manager), Craig Turner (QRAA Manager Customer Relations), Trent McIndoe (Rabobank Regional Manager North Queensland NT), Paul Woodhouse (North West HHS chair), Georgie Woods (RFDS occupational therapist, Mount Isa), Chris Mitchell (CEO at Health Workforce Queensland), Greg Campbell (Cloncurry Mayor), Justice King (youth ambassador), Don McDonald (pastoralist), Phil Barwick (Mount Isa Deputy Mayor) and Kim Hughes (Queensland Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association president).