The recent Federal Budget delivered by a Scott Morrison-led LNP Government will provide cost of living relief, a long-term economic plan, record funding for health and infrastructure and stronger defence and security measures. A big ‘thank you’ to our local Federal MP Scott Buchholz, for continuing the fight to ensure that our region receives the funds it deserves for important infrastructure such as roads, including the Howard Creek Crossing. I am continuing the fight at a State level for funding to fix more roads that desperately need it – there are lots in our region – but the Palaszczuk Government’s $6 billion backlog on repairs and maintenance makes it challenging.

Hotel Quarantine Cover Up
Last week in Queensland Parliament, the LNP asked the Palaszczuk Government why Queensland taxpayers are still coughing up millions of dollars for hotel rooms to sit completely empty. This Government has horribly misled Queenslanders. The Wellcamp facility – specifically built for quarantine purposes by the Palaszczuk Government – was supposed to see the end of the hotel quarantine program. They said it was over. However, last week, the Deputy Premier was forced to admit that since the 5th of February, QLD taxpayers have forked out more than $26 million on a secret hotel quarantine program. Shockingly, it’s been revealed most of these hotel rooms are empty.

This eye-watering amount of taxpayers’ money is being wasted at a time the Wellcamp facility remains largely unused. This costs $500,000 a day. We could be buying an extra two ambulances every day with this money. Queenslanders have been blatantly misled by a government that cares more about how things look than how things really are. We still don’t know how much the Palaszczuk Government spent on the Wellcamp facility, and now we learn hotel quarantine never ended!

The Palaszczuk Government is now increasingly quarantining the truth and treating taxpayers’ money as a plaything. Queenslanders deserve so much better than this. 

Restrictions and common-sense
I spoke in Parliament last week about the Government’s latest extension to its powers, an extension we in the Opposition voted against because the Government refused to include common-sense accountability and transparency mechanisms. Here’s an excerpt: 
“We need to see some common-sense restored when it comes to some of the restrictions imposed. I talk specifically about restrictions imposed on show societies and showgrounds where volunteers for show societies are subject to restrictions, but people who go there for another purpose may not be. That just does not make sense. When it comes to shows, the costs put on show societies to police restrictions create an enormous burden, and it does not seem to stack up when one considers the restrictions placed on similar large events. The restrictions on small businesses, especially cafés, pubs and other hospitality businesses, do not make sense. When there is a situation where café seating in a shopping centre is subject to restrictions, but common seating two or three metres away is not, cost and angst go with regulating those restrictions for café owners - and for what? It just does not make sense, and it does not stack up. 

“It was pleasing to see that the CHO, Dr Gerrard, said that a lot of these restrictions were under active consideration. With respect to show societies, I asked him to get on with the job pretty quickly because people need certainty when they are making decisions about whether or not to hold their local shows this week. Other groups in our community have been severely affected by these restrictions. They need transparency around the reasons for them. They need to know whether there is a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to these restrictions.” 

If I can be of assistance for a state government matter you’re concerned about, do not hesitate to contact me by phone (toll-free) 1800 813 960, by email scenicrim@parliament.qld.gov.au or by mail at PO Box 656 Beaudesert QLD 4285.