MP’s call to stop court action against jobs heeded by AG & PM

MY call for a legal counter-offensive to stop extreme green groups from taking job-creating projects to court has been heeded with both the Attorney General and the Prime Minister agreeing that action needed to be taken.I spoke to the Attorney General George Brandis shortly after the Carmichael mine approval was overturned in the courts at the instigation of an extreme green group.I told him that it was unacceptable that groups that had nothing to do with this project were able to hold up and try to kill off jobs by waging warfare through the legal system.In an interview on Sunday the Attorney General said he wanted to stop such ‘vigilante litigation’.

Read More

Referendum will resolve marriage question

THE people should determine the definition of marriage in a constitutional referendum that offers voters two clear choices about that definition.I believe there should be a constitutional referendum and it should offer the people the choice between two definitions of marriage to be inserted into the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia.At present, the Constitution does not define marriage in Section 51 (xxi); it merely states that the Commonwealth has the power to make laws with respect to marriage.

Read More
GeorgeChristensenBlog admin GeorgeChristensenBlog admin

Moves to create fairer child support system

A REPORT presented in Parliament House yesterday has recommended a number of changes to the Child Support Program to make the system fairer for both fathers and mothers and ultimately, the children caught up in relationship breakdowns.We have recommended the government consider allowing paying parents keep more of their income by increasing the self-support amount that is used in the child support formula and we have also asked for consideration of child support income management where there are substantial allegations of payments not being spent on meeting the needs of the child.

Read More

All people should have their say on marriage

FOLLOWING a mammoth meeting of the Liberal National Coalition Government last night, it is highly likely that the issue of gay marriage will be put to the people to vote on.I have been calling for this option since before the last election and have had several discussions with Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his advisers on the idea.I am hopeful we can resolve the issue of same sex marriage by committing to putting it to the people to vote on and then it can be resolved once and for all.

Read More

State holds up flow of jobs at Abbot Point

JOBS that would have been created at Abbot Point will be on hold this year because the State Labor Government continues to drag the chain on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the port expansion.I have been advised by Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt that the State government had not submitted an EIS for the port expansion despite State Mines Minister Anthony Lynham claiming on ABC radio today that the EIS had been lodged with the Commonwealth.This unacceptable delay by the State Labor government has cost jobs this year and these are jobs so desperately needed right now by communities across North Queensland such as Mackay, Bowen and Townsville.

Read More

Nats call for ban on green court action

UNDER a stance taken by the National Party at a meeting in Rockhampton yesterday, the Mackay Conservation Group would not be allowed to challenge job-creating projects such as the Carmichael Mine in the courts.Why should a group which is not directly impacted by the establishment of a mine have so much to say about the value of a projectThese self-styled guardians should have no authority before the courts.

Read More

Jobs for region is top priority for Nationals

IN a meeting of the Nationals Party Room in Rockhampton yesterday, Member for Dawson George Christensen spearheaded a move to affirm the party’s position on a range of issues pertaining to jobs.The position statement, which covered regional investment and job assistance programs through to controversial matters such as foreign workers and 100% FIFO, was adopted jointly by the Nationals and a statement was issued by the party leader, Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss.The statement spelt out in clear terms that the Nationals support Australian workers getting Australian jobs, and only when it can be proven that there are no available Australian workers to fill job vacancies should foreign workers be considered.It also affirmed the Nationals’ stance that companies locking workers out of jobs based on where they live amounted to geographic discrimination; Central Queensland workers should always have the ability to apply for Central Queensland jobs.

Read More

State Labor funding green activists to destroy jobs

THE State Labor Government needs to explain why they have given Mackay Conservation Group $5 for every job they kill off for workers desperate for employment.There are some serious questions which need to be answered by the Palaszczuk Government regarding their $50,000 donation to Mackay Conservation Group in the wake of the latest delay to Adani’s Carmichael Coal Project.The Premier of this state needs to explain why she wants to fund a group who are hell-bent on destroying the biggest job-creating project on the table.

Read More

Extreme greens put skink and snake ahead of workers desperate for jobs

THE Mackay Conservation Group are feeling victorious about their misguided campaign to put the welfare of the Yakka Skink and Ornamental Snake ahead of thousands of Mackay and Bowen workers desperate for jobs, but the court case victory they are crowing about today is a hollow one.I have spoken to Minister Greg Hunt’s office this morning and what has happened here is largely an administrative issue which should be resolved within six to eight weeks.

Read More

Green Army a tool for young job-seekers

YOUNG people looking for jobs are urged to consider joining the Green Army and groups with ideas for projects should come forward as applications for Round 4 of the program are now open.We’ve had some great projects undertaken locally by the Green Army, which is a program which benefits both the environment and young people keen to gain some more skills which might lead to permanent jobs.Participants aged between 17 and 24 will be able to undertake accredited training such as work readiness, conservation and land management, heritage conservation, project and human resource management and heritage trade skills.They will be supported to obtain Certificate I or II qualifications or nationally endorsed skills to help them prepare for the workforce or improve their career opportunities, and they’ll also receive a Green Army allowance while they do so.

Read More

Legal counter-offensive needed to save jobs

THE predictable extreme green tactic of mounting legal challenges to derail coal projects and stop the flow of jobs needs to be eliminated with a legal counter-offensive.I question the authority of those mounting court actions which currently hold seven Queensland projects to ransom, costing an estimated $1million a day in lost production.Who gives these self-styled guardians of the environment the authority to mount these court challenges which have been going on for more than two years?

Read More

LNP backs George for third term

28 JULY 2015: THE Liberal National Party executive today affirmed its commitment to me as the Federal Member for Dawson, recommending my endorsement as the LNP candidate at the next federal election. It has been an honour to represent North Queensland in the electorate for the past two terms and I look forward to continuing to fight for jobs and better outcomes for families in the North.

Read More

Grants to support practical environment projects

28 JULY 2015: PRACTICAL measures to improve the environment will be backed by a new round of funding through the Liberal National Government’s National Landcare Programme. A total of $135,000 will be offered through the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region by Reef Catchments through their Looking After Local Landscapes initiative.

Read More