27 October 2020
A Deb Frecklington LNP Government will back in Queensland’s manufacturing ingenuity with an $8 million innovation fund to develop new products and capability.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said the fund would target new product development such as the Mainetec’s Hulk Excavator Bucket Range, which the Mackay-based company has spent more than two years investing and developing.
“If Queensland businesses are prepared to back themselves through innovation, the LNP is prepared to back them, dollar for dollar,” Ms Frecklington said.
“We will also provide $25,000 matching competitive grants as part of a $5 million investment fund for manufacturers seeking to invest in new information communication technology hardware or software.
“An LNP Government will make sure that the digital technology that is driving advances in global manufacturing is available and accessible to Queensland manufacturers.”
LNP Candidate for Mackay Chris Bonanno said local businesses would welcome manufacturing being is front and centre of the LNP’s bold economic plan for Queensland.
“The final days of this campaign are crucial for the businesses and people of the Mackay region,” Mr Bonanno said.
“We’ve seen more than 4,300 jobs lost across this region under the anti-regions, anti-jobs Palaszczuk Labor Government.
“Labor has damaged this region’s vital resources, agriculture and tourism sectors and squeezed struggling families with more taxes, higher rego and sky-high electricity prices.
“We’ve promised a no-new-tax guarantee, a $20m Built-in-Queensland initiative, less red-tape, 20% lower energy costs, $13 million for new product development and digital connectivity, direct investments to secure manufacturing jobs and commitment to transition to 100% government manufacturing procurement to Queensland companies.
“The LNP will also open up the Galilee Basin after years of Labor’s delaying tactics – paving the way for 15,000 secure resource industry jobs.
“We will spend $50 million upgrading the Peak Downs Highway, delivering certainty for freight and industry right across our region.”
LNP Candidate for Whitsunday Amanda Camm said this election would be a turning point for the region.
“Labor’s soft on crime policies have sent crime in Mackay through the roof – with robbery up 105% and car theft up 146%,” Ms Camm said.
“Labor works for Brisbane, not Mackay and Whitsundays, and that’s why you can’t trust them with the future of our resources industry, tourism and agriculture.
“The LNP’s economic plan will create new jobs, lower the cost of living and stop Labor’s crime wave.
“The LNP’s $300 rego rebate for every car owner would pump almost $43m into the region’s economy before Christmas – helping to create and protect local jobs.
“As well as putting $300 straight into the bank account of anyone who has a registered car or light commercial vehicle, the LNP’s plan will create 100,000 jobs by four-laning the Bruce Highway.
“Only an LNP Government will unlock this region’s potential, invest for growth and create a decade of secure jobs.”
The LNP’s plan for Mackay and the Whitsundays includes:
Jobs
- Four-laning the Bruce Highway with Queensland’s biggest road project to improve safety, secure supply chains and create thousands of local construction jobs.
- Delivering an immediate $42.5m stimulus for the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac economy before Christmas through the LNP’s $300 Rego Rebate – available for anyone who has a registered car or light commercial vehicle.
- Opening up the Galilee Basin to secure $50 billion worth of new resource projects and 15,000 jobs by providing a 10-year royalty freeze, fixing Labor’s biased approvals process and reinstating the resource investment commissioner role that Labor scrapped.
- Making homes more robust with a $50 million household resilience program to reduce the cost of insurance for families.
- Delivering the New Bradfield Scheme and getting Urannah Dam shovel-ready.
- Delivering a $50m destination tourism marketing blitz to secure hospitality jobs.
- Investing $7.5m to expand the trade training centre in Mackay.
Cost of living relief
- Providing a $300 Rego Rebate before Christmas
- Providing cheaper electricity for families by extending retail competition into regional Queensland – saving the average Mackay household $300 a year.
- Reducing water prices for all Sunwater irrigators by almost 20% on July 1 next year.
- Providing more before and after-school care places to help working families with low-cost care options.
Crime
- Introducing a youth crime crackdown with tougher laws, 24/7 monitoring of youth offenders on bail, increased rehabilitation and more early intervention through a Justice Reinvestment program.
- Introducing a public sex offender register to help families protect their kids against dangerous sex offenders in the community.
- Introducing tougher laws against domestic violence, with increased police powers and more support for survivors and their families.
- Introducing tougher laws for gun crime and knife crime to protect local families.
Overhauling Labor’s broken child safety system and establishing a new standalone Child Protection Force
