Why does the Queensland Labor Government put so little value into early childhood education?
The mark of a good government is how it treats people. The economy is important, as is defence and infrastructure, but it's the policies that affect people which matter most.
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And in that regard, Queensland's government applies neither common sense nor reasonable judgment to its decisions, and it's people who suffer because of it.
After nearly two years the Queensland Government continues to make decisions that are confusing and inconsistent - frankly, people have had enough.
Here's a comment from a Queensland childcare provider:
"I am all for vaccinations and possibly would consider mandates a solution but Labor's execution announced this morning is a shocker!
"How are we meant to staff our childcare centre with holiday leave already approved and some staff unable to work due to them refusing the vaccination.
"Do I hand them a resignation for Christmas? Vacation care plans have been made for school aged children that may not be able to be covered! All well and good for school based teachers as school will close but long day care services do not have that luxury!
"This short notice decision reflects the value placed on early child education - I don't think for a moment Labor supports us more than any other party as often made to appear!!! No one really thought this through! Happy holidays educators!"
Queenslanders have exchanged keeping us safe for dictatorship in extraordinary times, but Labor has repaid this good faith with inconsistency, incompetence and policies which penalise individuals unnecessarily. People deserve better than Labor, much, much better.
Susan McDonald
Senator for Queensland
Queensland's future is in mining
The future of Queensland is in mining and connecting the North West Minerals Province to the east-coast electricity grid will make or break billions of dollars' worth of economic development.
The release of new economic analysis indicating the CopperString 2.0 project will generate 16 times the wealth of Brisbane's 2032 Olympics - $132 billion by 2050 - makes the project the Queensland's most important.
I call on the state and federal government to either further invest in, or commit to building, the nation-building transmission line to connect the Mount Isa region to the grid in Townsville. We need to stop hanging our hats on the money-absorbing Olympics. Queensland's future will be built on the back of minerals and mining exports.
The government has thrown some cash at the project, which has been certainly appreciated, but it stills needs a big push.
Personally, I would love the see the people of Queensland own and profit from the transmission line and would like to see it built by the state, but if CopperString continues down the private path then Brisbane and Canberra need to do everything they can to deliver it.
Project's proponents, CuString, released updated economic modelling that shows the $1.8 billion project will generate an extra $132 billion in mining activity by 2050.
The state government's analysis showed the economic benefits from the games would be $8.1 billion. The games, including infrastructure works, is likely to cost taxpayers double this amount.
The state's economy continues to be underpinned by the resources sector, posting a record $84.3 billion contribution to the Queensland economy in 2020-21..
The resources sector is the number one contributor to the Queensland economy and the state's largest export industry. It also supports the employment of 423,000 people, equating to one in six jobs in total.
Robbie Katter,
Traeger MP
