To the Electorate of Cook At the last election in 2012 Cook was in a mess. The entire region was locked in a struggle between economic survival and environmental control. The Labor Government was a puppet for the Green groups. We had Wild Rivers, National Parks gone wild, Vegetation Management Act, Delbessie and the threat of World Heritage Listing for decades. The LNP was able to turn this around in just 3 short years. Wild Rivers Act gone. National Park expansion program coming to an end. Veg Mgt Act amended. Delbessie gone. World Heritage Listing in moth balls. We had forced amalgamation, reef run off, waste levies and a string of broken promises. Business confidence was stifled and health care, education and law and order was out of control. We have turned it all around in 3 years I am working closely with all the Mayors, community leaders and traditional owner groups in Cook to strike the right balance between the economy, the community and the environment. I am passionate about nation building projects such as roads, bridges, airports, barge landing facilities and water storage. I want to see all weather access to every community in Cook by road, landing barge or airstrip within 5 years. We are well on the way to achieving this. Already we are sealing the Peninsula Development Road, upgrading Kowanyama and Lockhart airstrips, bridge building and have upgraded all the Islands barge facilities. The next challenge is getting the economy and employment going around the four pillars of Construction, Agriculture, Tourism and Resources. I will work with each region to develop projects that will grow the local economy and create jobs. E.g. the revitalisation of the Cooktown foreshore for tourism and the upgrade of the Mareeba airport for aviation. The Peninsula Development Road upgrade will create jobs and support all four pillars. We are also transitioning much of the infrastructure and service delivered by Government to community ownership. Housing, primary health care, retail stores and business ownership are a few examples. I want to see better services and less red tape. I provided access to water at Lakeland creating jobs, a birthing centre at Weipa and Cooktown and a dialysis unit at Bamaga so people needing medical support can stay in their towns with their families. I will work with Cape York people to ensure that priority agriculture areas, mining and significant sacred sites such as the Laura rock art is protected by amending the interim Cape York Regional Plan. In relation to Coal Seam Gas there is currently only one application to explore at Mt Mulligan which is unlikely to proceed. Any future applications will be dealt with by the proper process requiring rigorous environmental, social, cultural and economic impact assessments. Again we must balance the environment against jobs. I will not support any industry that threatens the aquifer in Cook however we will not be driven by single issue groups from other States in deciding our future. I will push for a complete review of the Cape York Institute, Cape York Partnerships, Balkanu, Welfare Reform Trial and Direct Instruction to ensure there is an equitable and appropriate use of funds and resources across all communities. Indigenous people should be given greater say and a choice about programs, education and representation. I want to continue with this plan and the many relationships I have built with all communities in Cook. I am confident the LNP will be returned to Government and I ask you to think carefully about having a Labor representative in Parliament in opposition. Cook is the most diverse and exciting electorate in Queensland and presents enormous challenges as we fight for the services and infrastructure most Queenslanders take for granted. I am grateful for all the support I have received over the past three years and seek your support for a further term.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 06:37:44 +0000
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