Labor's Budget delivers savage blow to agriculture
Our once great Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is suffering death by a thousand cuts from the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
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Labor's Budget rips 110 full time equivalent staff out of the agriculture department.
The staff cuts hit Biosecurity Queensland, the Queensland Rural Industry Development Authority, and the now defunct Queensland Agricultural Training Colleges.
Labor's cuts to frontline biosecurity staff is a disgrace and a massive blow to farmers and the wider industry.
While the number of bureaucrats in Brisbane has grown to more than 25,000 since 2015 - the same as a regional town - the departments that support rural and regional industries like agriculture continue to miss out.
Once again Labor is governing from Brisbane for Brisbane.
In stark contrast, the Liberal National Party understands and supports agricultural development in Queensland.
The LNP have already announced a plan to build job-creating water infrastructure.
We will raise the Burdekin Falls Dam and progress the building of Nullinga and Urannah Dams.
We know water means jobs.
The LNP also have a policy to reduce electricity prices for farmers by ending the divide between the south and the rest of the state by introducing retail competition to put downward pressure on prices.
Unlike Labor, we have a plan for more water, more jobs and to back our farmers.
Rural and regional Queenslanders are not mugs. They can pick spin a mile off and they know Labor don't care about farmers or the regions.
Tony Perrett
LNP Shadow Minister for Agriculture
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Mayor has questions to answer
Mount Isa Mayor Joyce McCullough raves on about air fares ("Mayor Blasts Inquiry findings", North West Star June 18).
Well of course she would know a lot about this subject because she would have to be the best travelled Mayor in the history of Mount Isa.
The only problem is she doesn't pay for her air travel.
It's the poor old ratepayers who end up footing the bill and what a bill it is.
The mayor complains about increasing costs from the airlines yet she mentions nothing about her Council's contribution to the airline industry increase in their own costs via, massive increases in water rates and other Council rates inflicted on this industry.
I note that our Mayor and a Councillor are currently conferencing again in Canberra and one of the subjects up for discussion was the waste levy.
I bet our Mayor didn't forget to book the airline and accommodation for her jaunt to Canberra like she forgot to apply for the State Governments funding towards the waste disposal system in Mount Isa and Camooweal.
Let's get our priorities right Madam Mayor.
You are NOT the Federal Member for our region.
Did you really have to go to that conference in Canberra?
Please explain what did your presence there and that of your fellow councillor achieve.
Kendall Santillan,
Mount Isa
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