There is less then a week until voting closes for the 2022 Federal Election and we are talking to Kennedy candidates about the issues of North West Queensland.
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The North West Star has sent eight questions to all candidates asking for their specific plans or policies to North West issues and their responses are to compare below.
LNP candidate Bryce Macdonald, tell me a little bit about yourself?
I have a combination of experience in my working career to fulfill the role as a federal member of parliament. A Heavy and Commercial Vehicle Mechanic by trade, 30 years' experience in the transport industry at different levels, Deputy Mayor of Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Justice of the Peace (Qual) and Chairman of a Board of Directors for Canegrowers Tully.
I'm running for Kennedy because I believe in a strong economy and a stronger future. The LNP has delivered when it comes to the economy, which has allowed families to have cost of living relief. Around 65,700 taxpayers in Kennedy will benefit from tax relief of up to $1500 this year, made up of the $1080 low and middle income tax offset and a $420 cost of living tax offset. The LNP Federal Government also provided a one-off cost of living $250 payment to;
- 18,973 pensioners in Kennedy
- 5974 disability support recipients in Kennedy
- 2326 carers in Kennedy
- 10375 jobseekers in Kennedy
- 2926 eligible self-funded retirees in Kennedy.
The LNP Federal Government reduced the cost of fuel - Kennedy drivers save 22 cents a litre every time they fill up - which means more money in your pocket.
Why should people invest in the North West?
A Nationals and Liberals Government is committed to creating an environment that addresses the unique challenges that exist in northern and regional Australia to encourage agricultural investment in the region. To help attract and retain people and investment in the regions it is investing record amounts of funding in infrastructure, regional development, communications and digital connectivity projects through the 2022-23 Budget.
This includes $385.4 million through the Northern Australia Roads Program extension for upgrades to major freight corridors across our north. $150 million for the Inland Rail Interface Improvement Project; $400 million to seal more than 450 kilometres of Queensland roads and contribute to upgrading heavy vehicle corridors critical to the beef industry.
What are your specific projects to develop Northern Australia?
The Our North, Our Future: 2021-26 Targeted Growth Plan sets out the Liberal Nationals five- year plan to grow Northern Australia. It includes a whole of government approach aligned with national priorities to help combat barriers to increased and new investment in the North. Target areas include supply chain infrastructure; communications and connectivity; water infrastructure; energy; workforce training and education.
These priorities, combined with investment pillars like the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), the Co-Operative Research Centre for Northern Australia and increased biosecurity investment lay the foundations for new growth and diversification.
The NAIF for example has already supported more than 32 investments totalling almost $3.5 billion which is expected to generate around $27 billion in economic benefit and over 13,000 jobs, while the $2 billion Regional Accelerator Program will enhance our international competitiveness by helping regional manufacturers to bring good ideas to commercial success, and address supply chain vulnerabilities.
What commitment can you make to curb the crime wave in Mount Isa?
Like a lot of regional towns and cities, Mount Isa has an increase in crime rate. It is unfortunate that the state Labor government has failed to address the issue. The statistics from mypolice.qld.gov.au show the increasing failures particularly from 2015 onwards.
The Federal Government has assisted with Safer community grants in other areas such as Mareeba and Cloncurry recently, with a combined value of almost $2 million. If I am elected as the member of Kennedy for the LNP, I would gladly work with the community of Mount Isa to get better outcomes from the Federal Government.
OTHER CANDIDATES:
What incentives will you provide to curb housing shortage?
The Morrison Government continues to work with the states and territories to improve social and affordable housing outcomes as a priority. That's why, under the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement, states and territories receive $1.6 billion annually from the Federal Government to help meet their obligations to improve housing and homelessness outcomes. Our Government also provided certainty of funding for homelessness services over the long term.
This is part of $9 billion the Morrison Government expects to spend on housing and homelessness, including more than $5 billion on Commonwealth Rent Assistance - helping around 1.4 million Australians to pay their rent. The Coalition established the NHFIC and in the Budget provided an extra $2 billion in low-cost financing to NHFIC's Affordable Housing Bond Aggregator to support more social and affordable housing.
State governments and local councils need to step up and increase the supply of housing to put downward pressure on house prices and rentals. We strongly encourage states to rethink their prohibitive taxes and regulatory bottle necks. States must do their own share of the heavy lifting, funded from their own balance sheets. The Morrison Government is absolutely committed to breaking down barriers to home ownership, including by extending the Home Guarantee Scheme which has already helped more than 10,000 Queenslanders buy their first home with as little as a five per cent deposit. Labor cannot be trusted to help Australians into their dream of home ownership. They have consistently opposed and attempted to block the Government's housing initiatives - and took a $31 billion Housing Tax to the last election, designed to undermine the housing market by doubling capital gains tax and abolishing negative gearing for existing properties.
There are renewable businesses waiting on the development of CopperString 2.0, what's your timeline for CopperString and what steps will you take to encourage growth of renewables in the area?
The Morrison Government has committed $16.17 million to help the CopperString 2.0 project progress to final investment decision. The project is currently going through state regulatory approval processes.
The Commonwealth is backing this important project because it will deliver affordable, reliable power to the people of North Queensland, create 750 new construction jobs and attract new investment to the region.
Support for CopperString builds on Morrison Government action already under way in regional Queensland to bring down prices and improve reliability, including:
- Nearly $5 million in grants for a microgrid feasibility studies across 16 locations in regional Queensland under the Government's Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund (Microgrids Fund).
- Up to $610 million conditionally approved loan for the development of the Genex' Kidston Pumped Hydro Project under the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and $47 million grant through ARENA.
- $2 million to support a pre-feasibility study on a proposed 1.5 gigawatt pumped hydro plant between Collinsville, Proserpine and Mackay- the Bowen Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project.
- $3.3 million to support a feasibility study on a proposed 1 gigawatt high efficiency low emissions coal plant in Collinsville. Up to $3 million in grants by ARENA for two hydrogen feasibility studies in Queensland to Nitrates Pty Ltd and Dyno Nobel Moranbah Pty Ltd.
What are your specific projects to support the agriculture industry?
The Coalition's policies are supporting the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors which are forecast to achieve a record $86.8 billion value of production. This is a 40 per cent increase on the $52.6 billion value of production in 2012-13 before we came to office. In the past year alone we have committed over $1.7 billion to help the industry reach its goal of $100 billion farm gate output by 2030.
Policy for the Agriculture industry which include trade and export, manufacturing and supply lines, biosecurity and connectivity, innovation and research are outlined in the our plan for Agriculture and Fisheries available here.
There are daycare shortages/long wait times across the North West, what measures will you take to alleviate it?
Our child care system is currently supporting more than 4,500 families in the electorate in Kennedy to provide greater access to child care places and reduce the cost for families.
To support areas of needs, especially in regional and remote Australia, we announced in the 2022-23 Budget $19.4 million to support the establishment of 20 new child care centres where there is limited or no child care. Funding of up to $900,000 per service will be available. This takes our investment to $432.5 million over the next four years through the Community Child Care Fund. In 2022-23, around 65 per cent of Community Child Care Fund funding will be going to services in regional and remote Australia.
Building on our strong record of boosting the supply of early childhood educators and teachers, we are commitment to implementing the 10-year National Children's Education and Care Strategy. Nationally, the Government's $2.1 billion Job Trainer program is providing low-fee or free training places and has seen more than 23,550 enrolments in child care qualifications - Certificate III or Diploma.
The Morrison Government's new $2.4 billion Apprenticeship Incentives Program, announced in the 2022-23 Budget, provides up to $15,000 in wage subsidy support for child care educators undertaking a traineeship and their employers, and up to $5,000 directly to the trainee. This includes extra support for businesses taking on trainees in regional Australia.
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