Mr Emerson said the figures showed 1700 jobs lost in the region, youth unemployment rate jumped 10 per cent in one year to 33.1 per cent and the participation rate was in freefall, dropping almost 11 per cent.

“One in three young people from this region that want a job can’t get one and we’ve seen 1400 people from the area give up looking for work,” Mr Emerson said.

“Those are huge numbers when you consider there are only a few thousand young people represented in this area and shows the woes that exist in rural and remote communities.”

Mr Emerson said Labor’s anti-business and anti-jobs agenda was to blame.

“We need to stop having these anti-investment policies,” Mr Emerson said.

“This government is anti-mining and anti-investment, it is run by green votes who want to shut down the sector mining – that affects jobs in the outback.”

Mr Emerson said if elected the LNP would cut green and red tap that was driving away investment in the mining sector.

Mining Minister Dr Anthony Lynham denied the government was against mining and pointed its record.

“The Queensland resources sector generates more than $2 billion in annual royalties and is continuing to invest in Queensland, in projects such as Rio Tinto’s Amrun mine, Cudeco and Korella in the north-west,” Dr Lynham said.

“This is a pro-jobs government that recognises that the resources sector will continue to remain a significant contributor to the State’s economy.”

Dr Lynham pointed to examples of their policies generating jobs and revenue.

“This government has provided a 50 per cent exploration expenditure concession, joined with industry to form the North West Minerals Province Taskforce, developed the state’s first annual exploration plan and released land in the north-west and allocated $500,000 for collaborate drilling initiatives in the region.” he said.