SHOCKING WASTE AS NEWMAN GOVERNMENT ABANDONS AGRI-RESEARCH HUB

Media Release

The Newman Government is wasting millions of dollars by abandoning a state-of-the-art agricultural research centre in Far North Queensland says Shadow Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister, Tim Mulherin.

“The centre, in Mareeba, was opened in December 2011 as part of an $8 million investment in agri-science research and innovation, but the Newman Government’s cuts have made it unviable,” said Mr Mulherin.

“There will be bitter disappointment in the industry at this shameful waste of taxpayers’ money.

“The previous Labor Government created the Mareeba agri-science hub after extensive consultation and took advice from a panel of experts to develop a purpose-built facility to drive innovation, support farmers, horticulture and the dairy industry and establish a national leader in tropical agricultural research and training.

“All that has been wrecked by the Newman Government’s deep cuts, haphazard policy-making and Brisbane-centric approach,” he said.

Mr Mulherin was Agriculture Minister when the centre was opened. He said news the building would lie empty and unused from next month was shattering and further evidence that the LNP’s obsession with cost-saving was both wasteful and inefficient.

“To see such a building abandoned and unused is another massive blow to regional Queensland after the Newman Government sparked outrage by closing bio-security laboratories in Townsville and Toowoomba, leaving the state at greater risk of devastating livestock disease.

“The LNP can find money for its own indulgencies such as the $2.6 billion Executive Building in Brisbane, but not for important projects in regional areas.”