LNP expands Royalties for the Regions for South Burnett

Photo: During a visit to the Kingaroy Show on Saturday 6th May, Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington and Leader of Oppositon, Tim Nicholls had the opportunity to discuss infrastructure needs for the South Burnett with Mayor Keith Campbell

• The Liberal National Party to expand its $500 million Royalties for the Regions program
• Annastacia Palaszczuk has slashed more than $3.6 billion from the state’s infrastructure budget since being elected
• Only the LNP understands infrastructure investment creates jobs and boosts morale, with a flow-on effect throughout regional economies
• South Burnett would be a major beneficiary of the Liberal National Party’s Royalties for Region and ‘New Deal’ to build a better Regional Queensland, create jobs and deliver much needed infrastructure.

The Liberal National Party will expand its Royalties for the Region program to ensure South Burnett locals get their fair share of much-needed infrastructure after more than two years of neglect under Annastacia Palaszczuk.

LNP Leader Tim Nicholls said the LNP had written to Queensland mayors encouraging them to provide a list of job-creating projects their communities needed.

“Under an LNP government the expanded Royalties for Regions program would encourage local governments and stakeholder groups to submit their projects for consideration,” Mr Nicholls said.

“We were proud of the hundreds of worthwhile projects and jobs this program delivered right around Queensland, but Labor chose to scrap it and halve the amount it would commit to infrastructure spending in Queensland’s regions.

“That move said it all for us. Labor pays lip service to regional Queensland but we all know it’s the greenie vote in south-east Queensland that keeps many of their ministers in a job.”

LNP Deputy Leader and Shadow Infrastructure Minister Deb Frecklington said the LNP would invest $500 million to ensure regional towns and cities starved of infrastructure under Annastacia Palaszczuk got their fair share.

“Only the LNP truly understands the needs of regional and rural communities and their years of neglect under Labor,” Ms Frecklington said.

“Whether it’s a road upgrade, new bridge, levee bank or upgrades to essential services such as water, waste and aviation infrastructure, we understand investment in Southern Queensland creates jobs, boosts morale and creates a flow-on effect throughout regional economies - something Annastacia Palaszczuk hasn’t got her head around.”

When in government, the LNP’s Royalties for the Regions program delivered projects including:

• $10 million water treatment plan$10 million for overtaking lanes
• $2 million for South Burnett rail trail
• $1.5 million for Kingaroy Barkers Road intersection

“Over the past year we have seen more than 43,000 jobs lost in Regional Queensland under Annastacia Palaszczuk’s watch,” Ms Frecklington said.

“I urge local mayors right across Southern Queensland regions to let me know what projects they would like funded under a future LNP government – that list will give us all a head start to Build a Better Queensland.”