$60,000 to help protect marine environment

THE Liberal National Coalition Government has made a $60,000 commitment to priority funding to kick-start research into the major sources of marine plastic waste and to determine the most cost effective options to reduce it.Every one of our favourite beaches and fishing is facing contamination by plastic waste, and the Coalition Government is now funding research to do something about it.$60,000 of priority funding has been made available under the National Environmental Science Programme to encourage better waste management practices and improved water quality outcomes for Australia’s marine environment.The National Environmental Science Programme focuses on collaborative, practical and applied research that informs on-ground action.

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MP rejects BoM plan to take jobs out of north

BUREAU of Meteorology (BOM) staff paid me a visit in Canberra yesterday to explain their rationale for relocating three staff out of both Mackay and Townsville, but I'm still not convinced it’s the right move.I state again in no uncertain terms that I will not be supporting this change, which removes all on-the-ground weather bureau staff from our regional cities.If the bureau believes it’s a good move then they better get out and start explaining it to the public.

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MP takes up BoM job losses with PM

THE loss of on-ground Bureau of Meteorology staff in Mackay and Townsville was raised directly with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Canberra this morning.It was announced on Friday that bureau staff in both Mackay and Townsville would need to relocate after weather stations switch to fully automated systems between now and 2017.I was informed this morning that this decision to take away all of our on-ground weather monitoring staff from Mackay and Townsville, as well as other centres, was made by the management of the Bureau of Meteorology, rather than Environment Minister Greg Hunt’s office.Regardless of who made the decision, I am seeking to have it reversed.

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MP urges Labor to support job-creating bill

THE call to put an end to extreme green legal warfare against job-creating projects in Central and North Queensland was on the agenda in Canberra this morning with the presentation of a Private Member’s Bill on the issue.I called on the Australian Labor Party to support the Liberal National Government’s amendments to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act in order to put an end to frivolous legal challenges which held up major projects.An endless round of legal challenges from the extreme green eco-terrorists against projects such as Adani’s Carmichael Mine are destroying this country’s reputation and we risk sending investors elsewhere to secure the fossil fuels they will need for decades to come.

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Losing BoM staff in the north is not on

LOSING on-the-ground Bureau of Meteorology forecasters in regional Queensland is a potentially life-threatening step for a region that faces extreme weather events.I’m disgusted by this move to cut Bureau of Meteorology staff in regional Queensland, including Mackay and Townsville.The Mackay radar system is notorious for dropping out.A new fully-automated system may be a better system, but the fact that there’s no-one around to fix things if needed is of grave concern.

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MP calls for croc cull

There is an obvious need for a carefully managed cull of crocodiles in populated areas in our region following the removal of a 4.7 metre saltwater crocodile from The Strand at Townsville last night.We need to ensure the areas where children swim and play, like the very popular Strand, are safe as we don’t want to see a tragedy unfold because we are too lax on this issue.This needs to be done in a strictly managed fashion and I am calling on the State Government to implement a legal crocodile cull as soon as possible.

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Minister’s Mackay visit to canvass ideas

29 JANUARY 2016: Mackay residents will provide direct input into a regional policy process when the Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister visits Mackay. The Liberal National Government is formulating a policy that will set out a long-term vision for regional Australia and North Queensland will play a vital role in the process.

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Boosting Great Barrier Reef protection

On Oceans Day at the Paris climate summit, a commitment of $58 million in funding from the Reef Trust spearheaded a suite of measures by the Liberal National Government to continue to build the health and resilience of the iconic Great Barrier Reef.This new commitment of $58 million between 2015 and 2019 brings the total Australian Government’s investment through the Reef Trust to $91.3 million.This third phase of investment will support farmers and land owners to improve their land management practices and reduce the runoff of key Reef pollutants – into the Great Barrier Reef catchment and boost the resilience of the reef.We are working with farmers, graziers and cane growers to improve their efficiency and to help the reef.

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PM agrees with stance on climate document

PROMPT action was needed yesterday to ensure that a communique which would cost jobs and harm rural and resources sectors was not signed during the Paris conference.I contacted both Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Environment Minister Greg Hunt directly because the communique could have spelt the end of the diesel fuel rebate which protects off-road users such as farmers and mining companies.The loss of that rebate would add millions of dollars to the operating costs of mining companies, and thousands of dollars to farmers, and this would cost jobs at a time when we can least afford any more imposts.

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Region needs a ‘year of opportunity’ in 2016

27 NOVEMBER 2015: A dedicated agency tasked with job creation and industry development could make 2016 a year of opportunity for the greater Mackay region.

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Solution for stalled jobs

12 NOVEMBER 2015: Thousands of jobs in North Queensland could flow sooner if Federal Labor was willing to back the workers of the resource industry. In parliament last night, I proposed a solution to the stalled Carmichael Coal Project, which would see construction begin sooner and thousands of jobs come on line.

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Extreme green bother brigade must be stopped

THE extreme green activists have put out the call for donations to fund another legal challenge of the Carmichael Coal Project before they even know what they can oppose.The action is another clear indication that the extreme greens are hell-bent on robbing the region of much-needed jobs and investment dollars.GetUp! has put the call out for donations to fund another legal challenge already, and by these actions they are proving the point yet again that this has nothing to do with conservation and everything to do with stopping coal projects.

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People of Bowen have their say

THE people of Bowen will finally have their say tomorrow on the actions of extreme green groups and their job-destroying tactics.A public hearing being conducted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment will provide an opportunity for business owners, business groups and individuals to give their side of the story on issues such as the development of Abbot Point.People in Bowen feel like they’re the political football when it comes to resources development in this country and they’ve had enough of it.

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Turtle tale a political ploy

IN their latest effort to kill off jobs, the extreme greens have used the plight of turtles nesting to stop the Abbot Point coal expansion.The Australian Marine Conservation Society are now trumpeting the fact that this area is a hotspot for marine turtles in their endless attack on the job-creating expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal.This is despite the fact that Adani funds the local indigenous people, the Juru people, to run a turtle nesting program where they go and actually install protection barriers around the nesting turtles to stop other animals – foxes, pigs, dogs – from getting into nests and destroying hatchlings.

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