A frustrated Federal Member for Dawson has this week vented his disbelief about the lack of consultation he has received by state government in the discussions about the newly announced pumped hydro project.
With the $483 million Urannah Dam Project already budgeted by the previous government, Andrew Willcox MP, does not understand why this viable solution has been ousted and replaced with a new plan that will see 50 homes relocated if construction goes ahead at the proposed site in the Pioneer Valley.
He is annoyed that neither he nor the Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry MP had been consulted about plans directly related to the regions they serve.
“To come out and make an announcement with zero consultation with the local Federal MPs and then immediately call for federal funding, makes me wonder if this is a serious announcement or is it just for show?” he said.
“Without any community or stakeholder consultation the state government have announced a $62 billion energy plan - but it's full of holes and generates more questions than electricity.”
Mr Willcox also asks for answers about how skilled coal miners and their families will survive if the industry they have been part of throughout their lives becomes replaced with renewable alternatives.
“The Premier has guaranteed jobs for workers at coal fired power stations but there is no mention of guarantees for coal miners,” said Mr Willcox.
“So where does that leave job security for mine workers, their families and every small business owner in our coal mining towns?”
Labelled as detached from the ground level, informed decision-making, the state government has now been called upon to keep their commitments to regional Queensland.
On a national level, while attending Parliament House, Mr Willcox spoke passionately about funding cuts to regional and remote areas, calling them “not only offensive, but dead-set wrong”.
One of the key projects that could now be off the table is the Urannah Dam project which has been almost 20 years in the planning.
“This is a nation building project which will open up 20,000 hectares of agriculture, create jobs, mining water and tourism opportunities,” said Mr Willcox.
While in Canberra he also took the opportunity to speak about the Whitsunday Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) facility which had been due to have $420,000 worth of upgrades this year, before funding cuts put a halt to plans.
Mr Willcox implores the Federal government to look after regional and rural Australia, respecting the contribution our region makes to the country.
“They want to eat our tucker, they want our royalties, they want the GDP* from our mining and yet they don’t want to give us any services,” he said.
*Gross Domestic Product
Image: Federal Member for Dawson MP Andrew Willcox asks for more consultation on funding matters
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