Ministers visit Emerald as part of regional community forum

“It’s wonderful to hear first hand from locals about the great achievements they are achieving here in the regions, plus what we may need to take them that extra further step.”

Minister for Education, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing Grace Grace and Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement Michael de Brenni at Emerald for the Central Queensland Regional Community Forum on June 21, 2021.

Ministers and regional leaders headed west to Emerald on Monday to see first hand some of the projects driving the region and hear from the community.

Minister Education, Minister Industrial Relations and Minister Racing Minister Grace Grace was joined by Minister Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister Public Works and Procurement Michael de Brenni and local members for Rockhampton and Keppel, Barry O’Rourke and Brittany Lauga at Emerald as part of the Central Queensland Regional Community Forum.

Ms Grace said they were thrilled to be visiting Emerald as part of the regional visit, after visiting Yeppoon for the previous forum.

“It’s wonderful to hear first hand from locals about the great achievements they are achieving here in the regions, plus what we may need to take them that extra further step,” she said.

Community members, leaders and businesses met with the visiting politicians at the Emerald Town Hall on June 21 to discuss things that were and weren’t working locally and changes they wanted to see made.

They also toured a range of local projects across Emerald, that the state government either has or plans to invest in.

“Seeing the Inland Port, going to Emerald Coaches to see their hydrogen vision and what they want to do there with regards to their buses being on hydrogen energy, and we have the Minister hydrogen here and working with them on how we deliver that vision,” Ms Grace said.

“Being at the Local Disaster Coordination Centre here in Emerald, which is fantastic to see how the locals are getting support.

“Then we take these ideas and initiatives back [to cabinet], such as manufacturing, water supply, hydrogen, all of those fantastic ideas that are coming out of the regions, and as ministers we take them back to cabinet and work out how can we assist in bringing them to fruition.”

Ms Grace said it was wonderful seeing all the “exciting projects” in the regions and understanding how government could invest in the regions to create the jobs and the industries of the futures.

The group also visited Emerald schools and other businesses across the community.