13 JULY 2017: The Federal Government’s axing of the Green Army was a disastrous decision for North Queensland. I'm not going to play the government’s line on the Green Army program, which will cease on June 30 next year, because, frankly, I was ticked off when the government announced the Green Army was axed.Green Army projects across North Queensland have ticked a lot boxes over the past few years; teaching new skills, helping the environment, and getting young people into jobs. We have seen a number of young people secure employment off the back of their Green Army training and work experience in a work environment. The Green Army was one of the most successful programs a government could invest in for the local community so giving it the chop is a real blow.Graduates at today’s ceremony in Mackay worked on several areas around the Bluewater Trail and at DeMoylen’s Lagoon, as well as clean-up work after Cyclone Debbie.The Liberal National Coalition committed to raising a Green Army in the 2013 election campaign and established the program soon after taking office. The program’s central mission was to create an "army" of 15,000 unemployed young people to work on conservation projects such as landscape restoration in the local community.I have seen first-hand the great work the Green Army has done with weed eradication, native species propagation, and cleaning up sensitive environments. I have also attended graduation ceremonies and spoken with young people who have used their new skills to gain employment. In terms of positive, concrete outcomes, it’s hard to go past the Green Army.The Green Army was axed in the mid-year budget update in December, in the wake of a deal with the Greens over the backpacker tax. The Greens secured a commitment on Landcare funding in exchange for support on the backpacker tax. That might have been a good deal for Landcare and the Greens, but if it means chopping the Green Army Program to cover the cost, the deal was a dud.