Mount Isa to Townsville Economic Zone is extremely concerned about the situation as it is evolving along the Mount Isa to Townsville corridor as many of the people in the grazing industry, businesses, industries, Councils and their local communities come to terms with the seriousness and likely impacts that the flooding will have for the short and longer term.

Just three weeks ago, after the initial rain, many areas were celebrating the prospects of reasonable rainfall to break the long, dry spell and set the scene for a bumper year ahead,particularly the cattle properties whose dams had become very low forcing graziers to consider de-stocking.

After the huge amounts of rain that has fallen across the MITEZ region, a tragic set of circumstances is quickly coming to light and when the flood waters eventually recede, there will be a better understanding about the extent of damage that has occurred and how long it will take to complete the necessary repairs to infrastructure such as roads, rail, communications to restore some normality.

Governments need to pay particular attention to the human element of the situation and do whatever they can to help people so that they can have the confidence to stay in their businesses, to be able to access the money needed to re-build, to re-stock and to stay on their properties.

For the future of the nation, consideration must be also given to the young people who will be the next generation of primary producers who have limited assets but may have borrowed to invest to build up a business for their future.

As a nation it is vital, that those who have been the back-bone of the country for a number of generations are given all the support they will need to re-build their businesses, restore their cattle numbers and get the North back to a strong position once more.

David Glasson

MITEZ President

The latest statistics show Queensland’s unemployment rate remains over 6 per cent despite Annastacia Palaszczuk’s broken promise to have an unemployment rate with a ‘5’ in front of it, over a year ago.

With a state government that is the least popular amongst small and medium sized businesses, it’s no wonder Queensland continues to have an unemployment rate over 6 per cent while New South Wales enjoys its lowest unemployment rate on record.

Under Queensland Labor there are over 161,000 Queenslanders that can’t get a job in Queensland’s mismanaged economy.

While regional Queensland is crying out for jobs, the Government’s own Resource Investment Commissioner has labelled the Adani approval process ‘a mess’.

Labor has lost control and it’s costing Queensland jobs.

The gap between Queensland and the top performing states continues to widen under this Labor Government.

With our economic plan, commitment to no new taxes, cheaper electricity and backing small business, only the LNP can bring Queensland back to the top of the economic ladder.

Tim Mander MP

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Treasurer

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