Leader of Opposition Business in the Parliament,
Shadow Treasurer and Shadow Minister for:
Trade,
Energy and Water Supply,
Main Roads,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships,
Sport and Recreation
I am currently the Leader of Opposition Business in the Parliament, Shadow Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Trade, Energy and Water Supply, Main Roads, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Sport and Recreation. Prior to the March 2012 election, I was Minister for Disability Services, Mental Health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, in the previous Labor Government.
I am a hard worker and use my drive and enthusiasm to serve not just the Mulgrave electorate but the whole of North Queensland, including Townsville. I am increasingly concerned about the Newman Government’s disregard for regional Queensland, with their continued slash-and-burn approach to regional jobs and services.
The Newman Government holds regions such as Townsville with such contempt that they won’t even be honest and outline how many government jobs they are axing. We have heard figures as high as 500 jobs going in Townville, but the Newman Government won’t come clean and tell us the exact number.
Any number of job losses in a regional community has wide-spread ramifications across the area, but uncertainty about job losses makes it even worse. With Telstra announcing 126 positions in Townsville will go, it is time for the Newman Government to be honest and outline how many government jobs in Townsville they are axing.
We know jobs are going in QBuild, Mains Roads, Transport, Primary Industries, Health and Education, but the Newman Government will not be upfront with the people of Townsville and tell them how many jobs will go and what areas will be affected.
Jobs losses in regional communities have huge impacts on regional service delivery and local communities. Every job cut means one less pay packet being spent in local shops and on local services. It could also mean families having to move away from Townsville, taking their children away from local schools which in turn could lose teachers as the population shrinks. The Newman Government needs to end the waiting game and be honest with the people of Townsville about how many jobs he is axing