Scott Morrison in big-spending pitch for north Queensland
DAYS after JT’s retirement, our newly installed Prime Minister is making his own play to win over north Queensland with a grab-bag of multimillion-dollar promises.
QLD Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
SCOTT Morrison will today begin the Coalition’s fightback plan to hold and win marginal seats in north Queensland, as he contrasts his leadership style from that of Malcolm Turnbull.
The new Prime Minister will launch a mini-blitz in north Queensland to announce his Government will co-fund plans to transform Townsville into one of the state’s cruise capitals and help stop the teen brain drain from Cairns.
Meanwhile, the Government also has vowed to put a renewed focus on industrial relations, investigating the possibility of deregistering the CFMMEU after its repeated breaches of industrial laws, which have impacted billions of dollars’ worth of construction projects.
Mr Morrison, who yesterday faced damaging leaks about infrastructure projects Mr Turnbull had planned to deliver, will today stamp his authority on big-spending, big-job-spinning investments.
In Townsville, he will announce $75 million to help expand its port in a move that will power-charge the region’s job and trade opportunities.
Townsville’s port is the country’s biggest sugar, zinc, lead, copper and fertiliser gateway, and Northern Australia’s largest container and automotive port.
It is also favoured by cruise ships that are becoming too big to berth in the tourism hotspot.
The Queensland Government has committed $75 million towards the channel works, and the port will contribute $43 million.
“We want Townsville to have a port capable of hosting larger cargo and passenger ships, helping to build a stronger economy in north Queensland,’’ Mr Morrison told The Courier-Mail.
In Cairns he will announce $10 million for an Innovation Centre at James Cook University.
The electorate of Leichhardt, which includes Cairns, is held by the Liberals’ Warren Entsch on a 4 per cent margin, while Labor holds Herbert, which includes Townsville, on 0.02 per cent.
Meanwhile, newly sworn-in Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer has been ordered to look into the prospect of deregistering the CFMMEU.
She said the Government would “consider all options available” to crack down on lawless industrial behaviour.
Before the Liberal leadership spill, Ms O’Dwyer’s predecessor Craig Laundy had legislation ready to go before the Senate.
While the Ensuring Integrity Bill is unlikely to go before the Senate when Parliament sits next week, it is expected to be a government priority, although it still lacks crossbench support.
$135m health bungle: Minister’s apology to affected businesses
Health Minister Steven Miles has apologised to businesses that have suffered delays because of the new Queensland Health payment system.
Hundreds of staff underpaid at Queensland utility
A Queensland Government-owned utility corporation has underpaid hundreds of its senior staff for more than a decade in a bungle that could have ripped off up to a quarter of its workforce.