Taylor Point buyback sought as bipartisan 2024 QLD state election commitment
While the state environment department has ranked Taylor Point as a “low priority” the two major players contending for the seat of Barron River have revealed their approaches towards the issue.
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While one of the Far North’s last remaining beachfront, freehold titles remains for sale on the open market, political opponents have ensued a heated debate over its future use and operation.
As the state whips out the cheque book to buy back parcels of land throughout Queensland, Taylor Point at Trinity Beach remains on the open market amid public pressure for government intervention.
The state opposition took on the challenge in an attempt to “secure” Taylor Point, with the shadow environment minister Sam O’Connor writing to environment minister Leanne Linard, asking her what actions her department had taken towards acquiring the land for conservation.
To which Ms Linard responded stating the land acquisition program was guided by Queensland’s Protected Area Strategy 2020-2030 and under its guidelines Taylor Point was “rated as a low priority.”
Following this response LNP candidate for Barron River Bree James wrote to residents last month outlining her party’s commitment towards Taylor Point.
Both Ms James and Mr O’Connor were asked how they would go about addressing the challenge set by the Queensland Protected Area Strategy, and whether an LNP government would be prepared to override the department’s guidelines to secure Taylor Point as a priority.
They both told the Cairns Post: “If elected in October, the LNP will work with the landholder and the Cairns Regional Council to ensure the environmental values of this precious headland are protected for generations to come”.
Ms James also took a swipe at the current Barron River MP Craig Crawford stating the community “deserves better than an MP who will say and do anything in the lead-up to an election to hold onto his job”.
“The reality is Labor themselves have confirmed protecting Taylor Point is not a priority, and after nearly a decade of inaction, the northern beaches community knows nothing will change as long as Craig Crawford and Labor remain in power,” Ms James said.
Mr Crawford hit back at the criticism, accepting while he had been the serving member for nine years, the “community only wanted to buy back Taylor Point for the last couple”.
“And I could have saved them (the LNP) a lot of time because I also wrote to the previous environment minister and was told the same thing – it’s a low priority for the department,” Mr Crawford said.
“But for me it is my highest priority – and I’m pursuing it as an election commitment.
“So that means it doesn’t quite fall under the funding scope of (Department of Environment and Science), but it’s more of a political commitment by the Premier.
“We’re a marginal seat and given how long I’ve been with this government, I’d be pretty angry if I didn’t get that support.”
Mr Crawford said following the early election commitment in his seat for the rebuild of the Barron River Bridge, he was confident he’d earn another for the purchase of Taylor Point.
“The Premier is very open to it, he was environment minister when we bought Earl Hill so he has an understanding of the environmental significance.”
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Originally published as Taylor Point buyback sought as bipartisan 2024 QLD state election commitment
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