Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has not said when she will sell the controversial Woolloongabba property, however insisted that it would be sold.
– Domanii Cameron
Queensland Parliament: Question Time live blog
Redundancies are expected to take place today at a southeast Queensland coal mine, following a 12-year wait for approvals, with more than 100 workers expected to be in the firing line.
REDUNDANCIES are expected to take place at the New Acland coal mine today.
New Hope has waited 12 years for approvals for its New Acland Stage 3 mine, northwest of Toowoomba.
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A New Hope spokesman has previously said 150 workers would have to be made redundant while the mine would need to shut down half of its machinery and only operate day shifts because of uncertainty around the expansion.
RECAP ALL THE EVENTS FROM QUESTION TIME BELOW
It follows a protracted legal battle, with the Court of Appeal last week indicating it would send an application to expand the coalmine back to the Land Court, which originally recommended that a new mining lease be rejected.
The mine requires mining and water licenses from the State Government.
New Acland Mine General Manager Dave O’Dwyer is expected to hold a press conference regarding the redundancies at 11am in Toowoomba.
Updates
Woolloongabba property
New Acland coal mine
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk says she hopes the future of the New Acland mine will be determined by the courts before the end of the year.
It comes after the Court of Appeal indicated last week that it would send an application to expand the development back to the Land Court, which had originally recommended that a new mining lease be rejected.
The mine had previously warned that it would be forced to make 150 workers redundant if the expansion was not approved.
When asked today if her Government would offer any assistance packages to affected workers, Ms Palaszczuk said she hoped the Land Court would make a decision this year.
“I believe those workers need certainty,” she said.
– Jack McKay
No plans to redistribute royalties from regional coal mines
DEPUTY Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad confirmed there were no plans for the State Government to redistribute royalties from regional Queensland coal mines into local communities, saying wealth is evenly shared across the state.
Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan asked if Ms Trad would consider a new approach to mining royalties, which would see 50 per cent of the money from mines in the Bowen and Galilee Basins going directly into central and north Queensland communities.
Ms Trad said processes were already in place to ensure regional Queensland got its fair share of the State’s budget.
“More than 60 per cent of the Government’s budget is spent outside of southeast Queensland,” she said.
She also referred to the drought relief appeal launched by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last month.
“That’s what we do when it comes to sharing the wealth across out state,” Ms Trad said.
– Sarah Matthews
Premier shuts down question
OPPOSITION Attorney-General spokesman Jarrod Bleijie has asked why the Government ignored initial Integrity Commissioner advice that including representatives from legal bodies on a selection panel for the state's legal watchdog would be a conflict of interest.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pointed Mr Bleijie to the Attorney-General, Yvette D'Ath's detailed response to Parliament earlier, shutting down the question.
– Jessica Marszalek
Trad says she's filled "void"
DEPUTY Premier Jackie Trad says she has filled the void over her purchase of the Woolloongabba investment property.
Ms Trad had previously said before the CCC handed down its assessment that there was a “void” of information relating to the saga.
Opposition frontbencher John-Paul Langbroek today asked if Ms Trad could provide details of the void.
She referred him to the statement she made on September 6 in the wake of the CCC’s assessment, which she said “went to that issue”.
– Jack McKay
Integrity saga questioning continues
QUESTIONS are continuing on Jackie Trad’s Woolloongabba investment property saga.
Deputy LNP Leader Tim Mander has asked Ms Trad if she stands by her statement that she learned about the purchase via a text message from her husband.
Ms Trad responded by pointing to the findings of the Crime and Corruption Commission’s assessment of the purchase.
“They found no evidence of dishonesty or corruption,” she told the House.
“I made my remarks truthfully and honestly. I stand by them.”
She added that “having a career and raising a family” meant life was busy.
– Sarah Vogler
Premier refuses to say what punishment Ministers will face
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to say what punishment her Ministers will receive if they fail to declare their interests to the Parliament.
It comes off the back of recommendations made by the Crime and Corruption Commission that a failure to make a declaration of interests be made a criminal offence.
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington quizzed the Premier about any potential punishments that would be enforced before the Government implements the CCC’s recommendations.
Ms Palaszczuk did not answer the question, except to say work was underway to implement the recommendations.
She also reiterated Ms Trad had had her oversight of Cross River Rail stripped from her as a punishment for her failure to declare the purchase of a Woolloongabba investment property.
– Jack McKay
Question Time kicks off
THE Opposition has launched into Question Time quizzing the Premier on the Government's integrity crisis.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the state's corruption watchdog made five recommendations when it cleared Deputy Premier Jackie Trad almost two weeks ago, which the Government accepted.
Recommendation one, which was to ensure a standing agenda item was included for each Cabinet meeting and "decision to mandate the proactive declaration of any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest, and the recording of any management or treatment of these conflicts", had already been implemented, the Premier told the House.
She said the Attorney-General would look at recommendations three and four, the Premier's Director-General would look at five and recommendation two was an onus of ministers to prepare a management plan for any conflict of interest before being involved in Cabinet or other related decisions.
The Crime and Corruption Commission cleared Ms Trad of corrupt conduct allegations on September 6 however recommended changes like new offences for non-disclosure.
It came after The Courier-Mail revealed Ms Trad failed to declare her Woolloogabba property purchase.
– Domanii Cameron
Rangers commended following fires
MINISTER for Environment Leeanne Enoch commended the work of the Queensland Park and Wildlife Services (QPWS) rangers who worked to protect the local environment from bushfires, even when their own homes were at risk.
There were over 200 QPWS rangers working on the front-line to save the wildlife that was impacted by the “unprecedented” fires.
“We have experienced an unprecedented start to the Queensland bushfires,” Ms Enoch said.
“Some continued to respond to fires even when their homes were at risk."
The rangers also conducted 181 planned burns covering 1.2 million hectares of land leading up to the bushfire season.
“The changing climate means the rangers will be even more critical as we go into this fire season," she said.
– Sarah Matthews
Rheinmetall shortlisted
RHEINMETALL Defence Australia has been shortlisted to one of two companies by the Federal Government in its bid for the $10 to $15 billion LAND 400 Phase 3 tender process.
"Should they be successful – up to 400 Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles would be manufactured at the company’s new Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Ipswich, which when complete will be the most
advanced military vehicle manufacturing facility in Australia," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said this morning.
– Domanii Cameron
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