Regions Ripped By Labor Again

The State Government’s sky high coal royalties enforced on our region’s mines, are putting the industry at risk, says Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox.

Mr Willcox said the recent decision from Glencore to can their $2 billion investment into a mine in Queensland shows the cracks beginning to appear in our coal sector.

“One of the biggest tragedies in the withdrawal of the Glencore Project, are the job opportunities that will be lost.  Regions like ours are built on these jobs. They bring so much local investment and boost our local economy,” Mr Willcox said.

“Mining companies are used to the boom & bust cycle.  So in good times like these, they use profits for further exploration, upgrade their mining equipment and rehabilitate previous mines sites which  creates job opportunities within our region.

“Instead, the coal royalties hike squashes further development, which will affect our region when coal prices reduce”.

Mr Willcox criticised the Labor State Government for making decisions that impede regional communities. 

“The profits being generated in Central Queensland should be reinvested in Central Queensland and not spent in the south east corner”.

“This is happening again and again, and the people of Dawson are sick of it, especially when their roads are crumbling, the health infrastructure is failing and critical services aren’t being maintained,” Mr Willcox said.

“When we have city centric, and suburban obsessed governments, the whole nation suffers. Regions like Dawson do so much to generate the nation’s wealth, but we are being flat out neglected by a Government who is happy to shout their own praise and boast of their budget, having little regard for those who bring about the profits.

“Labor needs to govern for the entire state of Queensland, not just for the cities of the SE corner.  They need to start looking after our rural and regional powerhouses.”