Labor’s jobs scam: Thomsetts Rd already starting

JANUARY 27, 2016: THE Queensland Labor government’s accelerated works program has been exposed as a sham with the Premier yesterday saying she would bring forward a project that was fully funded by the Federal Government, went to tender in November last year, and is due for construction early this year.Labor had been caught out pork barrelling in Townsville and was desperate to try and name a project anywhere else in North Queensland.When the overtaking lanes at Thomsetts Road (near Bloomsbury) went to tender in early November, I said the project was being delivered a year ahead of schedule and being delivered without State funding.Labor is trying to rewrite history for political purposes instead of pulling their finger out on the massive projects that will deliver real jobs, such as the Mackay Ring Road and the Haughton River Bridge.The Liberal National Government committed funding for both projects in its first budget in 2014 and later that year, I secured a commitment from the Prime Minister to fast track funding to address the developing economic problems in North Queensland.The feasibility study for the Mackay Ring Road was completed in 2013 and the State government has already had more than two years to complete the planning and Labor has no intention of allowing construction to start this year.Queensland’s Labor government has denied my request to allocate more resources to planning for the Mackay Ring Road, allowing desperately needed jobs to be shelved for another year.This is a project that should be employing 600 people this year.The project is approved, the money is there. The only thing holding up those jobs is Labor’s lack of political will.They are desperate to look like they are doing something about job losses in Townsville because that’s where their political focus is.But the best they can do in Mackay is rebadge a Federally-funded project already under way and send their jobs minister to town for a jobs forum.The truth is Labor has no idea how to create jobs as most of them are career politicians or union organisers, including their Queensland jobs minister.