Qld Bush Summit 2023: Livestream and blog

Gina Rinehart has delivered the keynote speech at the Queensland Bush Summit, highlight the costs to agriculture of achieving net-zero and the need to free miners from 'red tape'. 

Gina Rinehart

The Courier-Mail is today hosting the inaugural Queensland Bush Summit.

Follow the livestream in the media player above and the blog below, then scroll down to have your say in the comments section.

Updates

1:41 pm August 18, 2023

Queensland Bush Summit wraps up

Geordi Offord

That's a wrap on Bush Summit Queensland in Rockhampton.

There was a lot of robust conversation about the key issues impacting regional and rural Queensland, with many ideas on how we can address the issues.

Courier-Mail editor Chris Jones presented the key take-aways from the day, which include:
– Essential services/minimum standards for regional communities

– Intervention on health care beds and mental health programs
– Mobile coverage audit report
– Regional social and affordable housing strategy
– Natural disaster resilience program – flip the 97c v 3c spending imbalance
– Royalties to regions review – more equitable share of royalties for regional infrastructure
– Transition of the energy economy – support for regions carrying the burden
Olympics legacy regional tourism strategy

1:34 pm August 18, 2023 Highlight

'Tears of relief': Mining region mayor celebrates saving of town

Madura McCormack

Law changes needed to save a small Queensland mining town from demolition will be the “real critical piece” following Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s surprise decree to save it.
Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker, speaking in Mackay, said she cried “tears of relief” after being told the town of Glenden would be saved.
The state government will need to amend laws to make it so, and it is understood this will happen in parliament next week.
But there isn’t much detail yet and Cr Baker said this was the “real critical piece”.
“So we will be watching and wanting to fully understand what the detail is,” she said.
“Today’s message is about the fact that we have got renewed confidence in the government that they’ve acted, and they have listened to the voice of mining communities.”
Cr Baker said her “phone is exploding” after the news Glenden would be saved.
“I've reached out to as many as I could once the announcement was public,” she said.
“But I've still got a lot of people to talk to today. Today is about celebrating or getting some joy from all the hard work.”

1:21 pm August 18, 2023

Rinehart: How to "cut red tape" on mining

Geordi Offord

Ms Rinehart presented a slideshow of points on opportunities to “cut red tape” on mining in Queensland.

One of them was to amend section 260 of the mineral resources act to allow only entities with a direct property rights interest in the development to lodge objections to mining lease applications.

Another suggestion was to amend the Environmental Protection Act 1994 to allow for a legislative exemption from Section 3182B (2) and (4) where, as part of the transfer process, the landholder provides a statement that they are satisfied with a given level of rehabilitation or any transfer of existing infrastructure.

Ms Rinehart said she was supportive of the theme of the Bush Summit and hoped the Government would listen and cut some of the “red tape” associated with mining.

1:12 pm August 18, 2023

Rinehart: "Staggering" cost of achieving net-zero

Geordi Offord

Hancock Prospecting executive chair Gina Rinehart has taken to the Bush Summit stage to deliver her keynote speech.

Ms Rinehart said Queensland was a state that should be “very popular” with the federal government through “king coal”.

She said mining was “so critical”, adding that she hoped politicians and their advisers were listening to the speeches about what can help regional Queensland.

She ran through costs for the agricultural industry for net-zero.

Ms Rinehart said replacing machinery to electric vehicles for the bush would be a “staggering” $10.4 million to $11.4 million.

She said most properties cannot afford this, and the move could “force” families off their land.

Ms Rinehart said the Government should commit now that those in agriculture will not need to invest more than, as an example, $200,000, for net-zero policies.

She said Australia needed “practical policies” that take into account the costs.

She said the net-zero scheme required massive amounts of “critical minerals” and materials, exciting the mining industry.

12:42 pm August 18, 2023

Next generation needs a reason to return to the bush

Melanie.Petrinec

Giving the next generation reasons to return to the bush is vital to ensuring the viability of Queensland’s regional centres, the Bush Summit has heard.
A panel discussion on the future outlook for regional Queensland agreed that many young people in regional centres would always want to spread their wings – but the key was to lure them back.
Panelists agreed that finding enough people to fill vacant jobs was an issue across the state – particularly in the regions outside major population centres.
Capricorn Enterprise CEO Mary Carroll said convincing the next generation to return to their spiritual homes would shore up regional centres for generations.
“You need to go away to get your experience and then come back,” she said.
“The narrative should be that our youth want to come back.
“It’s a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity.”
Former ALP powerbroker and local member for the region Robert Schwarten said initiatives needed to be enticing for the youth who may move away from the regions.
“They need to come back to something that is bigger and brighter,” he said.

– Jeremy Pierce

12:34 pm August 18, 2023

Workforce challenges plague regions

Geordi Offord

Courier-Mail journalist Frances Whiting has hosted the Outlook for Regional Queensland panel.

The panel consists of Chief Executive Officer of Queensland Futures Institute Steve Greenwood, Capricorn Enterprise Chief Executive Officer Mary Carroll, former State Member for Rockhampton Robert Schwarten and Senator and Chair of Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee Glenn Sterle.

Ms Whiting asked the panel what the biggest challenge for regional areas were and all agreed keeping people in the regions and workforce was an issue.

Mr Greenwood said one of the biggest challenges the regions faced was getting people into the regions and keeping them there.

He said it was important to focus on what the regions wanted and how to attract people to them.

Ms Carroll said sustainable jobs and growth were both a challenge and opportunity. She said it was important to make sure the government listened to communities and worked in collaboration with businesses and the broader community.

Mr Schwarten said the amount of investment in the Rockhampton region was “unprecedented” but the challenge was getting people to fill the jobs that were available and keeping them.

Mr Sterle also agreed there were workforce challenges in the regional areas.

The panel was also asked about how the regions could benefit from the Olympics, and how things shouldn’t just stop at the south-east.

Mr Greenwood said it was equally important for Queensland to pose as an “investment destination”. He said there needed to be investment in Queensland’s wealth and not just the sporting venues.

Ms Carroll said it was important to work in partnership with accessibility and affordability. She said it was important to support budget airlines such as Bonza which have opened up more tourism opportunities to regional destinations.

12:21 pm August 18, 2023

Better technology needed for WFH in the bush

Melanie.Petrinec

The Bush Summit has heard some of the issues affecting regional communities struggling with access to state-of-the-art technology and communications coverage.
Senator Matt Canavan said there was a “massive opportunity to decentralise Australia” if the technology existed for people to work remotely.
He said levels of government should explore making the Telstra network available to other telcos to to drive competition and lower prices for communications customers in regions which often do not have 5G signal.
Former Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones, now an executive with the Tech Council of Australia, said many regional tourism operators had been slow to adopt technology, which was vital for attracting tourists brought up in the digital age.
“If they can’t see if online, they can’t see it,” she said.
“If they can’t see your business online, they don’t book you.”
Queensland CChief Entrepreneur Julia Spicer and Beef Australia Chair Bryce Camm both said the perception of regional communication black spots was often worse than the reality and a false reputation would discourage businesses which may otherwise be considering relocating to the bush.

– Jeremy Pierce

12:14 pm August 18, 2023

Big push for more SES volunteers

Geordi Offord

The Courier-Mail's Robert ‘Crash’ Craddock is now speaking with Andrew Wyatt, the regional director of the State Emergency Services (SES).
Mr Wyatt spoke about his time in the SES saying “he’s seen it all” from fire to flood, as he looks after 480,000km and oversees some 800 volunteers.
He said one of the challenges for the SES was getting and retaining volunteers, with the service seeing a decline in recent years.
He said the SES was employing a community officer to try and attract more volunteers to help local communities.

11:51 am August 18, 2023 Highlight

'Blown away': Residents react as town saved

Glenden residents are rejoicing in the news that their beloved town will not be destroyed as part of the Newlands Mine rehabilitation.
The decision to save the town was announced at the Bush Summit earlier today.
Local Milissa Phillips-Payne said after six long years, the town's voice had finally been heard.
"This is the most fantastic news that could come out today," she said.
"I'm absolutely blown away and ecstatic. Our town has a future, we always knew it had more to give and people wanted it (to stay) as much as we did.
"A lot of communities have rallied behind us, it's been very heartwarming.
"Our voice has finally been heard."
Ms Phillips-Payne is now eagerly awaiting for more information on the specific legislation changes announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
"Now we've got to make sure the Premier sticks to it and get some action happening," she said.
"What's the next step, what's going to be in the legislation."
Glenden resident Tony Phillips was working in Mackay on Friday when he heard the news.
"We've had only bad news for the last five, six years, so this is really good," he said.
"Everybody would be stoked."

– Taylah Fellows

11:46 am August 18, 2023

Connectivity still an issue for the bush

Geordi Offord

The Sunday Mail and Saturday Courier-Mail Editor Anna Caldwell is now moderating a technology and connectivity panel.
On the panel is Queensland Senator Matt Canavan, QLD Chief Entrepreneur Julia Spicer, Executive Director of the Tech Council Australia Kate Jones and Chair of Beef Australia Bryce Camm.
Ms Jones said she was keen to have conversations about how the technology sector could provide more jobs in regional areas.
She said there will be “significant growth” in technology in the next five years with tech jobs also growing at a fast rate.
Mr Camm said messaging around connectivity in Australia was important and that addressing black spots was also important.
He said the agricultural sector was “booming” but for livability and a thriving community it was important to have a range of employment options.
Mr Camm said technology and connectivity in rural areas was “a lot better” than what it once was but that living and working on a rural property without connectivity was “unacceptable” and it was “crucial” for areas such as education and telehealth.
Mr Canavan said mobile roaming was an issue that needed to be looked at.
Ms Spicer said when building big infrastructure projects in the regions communications connectivity also needed to be considered.