THE PLAN by monopoly rail operator Aurizon to introduce a revised maintenance plan will slash coal exports by $4 billion per annum and cut royalties used to pay for State Government services and infrastructure by a staggering $500 million per year.

Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive, Ian Macfarlane, said the new Aurizon maintenance plan for the Central Queensland Coal Network would have double the impact on the resources industry and its capacity to export and return royalties to Queenslanders than Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie that crossed the coast 12 months ago today (28 March).

“Financial analysts, Macquarie Research*, have already dubbed the Aurizon maintenance plan that will cut coal throughput by 20 million tonnes per annum for four years as ‘Cyclone Aurizon’ because of the havoc it will create for the industry and the Queensland economy,” he said.

“Aurizon’s planned action would have double the punch of Debbie on our industry, on our regions and our State.

“The loss of $500 million in royalties alone is equivalent to the wages for 7388 teachers or 7430 nurses.

“With our population increasing to five million in May, Aurizon will cost every Queenslander $100 every year for the next four years.

“The damage to our export performance is also of great concern.  The Central Queensland Coal Network is Australia’s largest export coal rail network.  The resources sector accounts for more than half of Queensland’s growing goods and services exports."

Mr Macfarlane said he welcomed the Queensland Competition Authority’s (QCA) request for further information from Aurizon Network about its changed maintenance practices. 

“The QRC and its members will provide the Queensland Competition Authority with information to avoid the damage across the Queensland economy from this plan that could only be described as ‘economic sabotage’,” Mr Macfarlane said.

Releasing the QRC’s State of the Sector report today, Mr Macfarlane said the Aurizon threat came at a time when Queensland and the Palaszczuk Government could expect a stronger performance from the resources sector in employment, trade and royalties.

“The QRC’s Production Volume Index for the September 2017 quarter has increased by 14 points to 117.  This is the highest level since December 2016 quarter and the largest quarterly increase in the Index over four years (since June 2013 quarter).”

“Before Christmas, the Palaszczuk Government revised upwards royalties by $806 million for 2017-18 to 2020-22.  The Government has projected it will receive $3.7 billion from royalties this financial year.”

The Queensland resources sector now provides one in every $6 dollars in the Queensland economy, sustains one in eight Queensland jobs, and supports more than 16,400 businesses across the State – with almost 7000 businesses in the Greater Brisbane region – all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.

www.qrc.org.au

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A NEW committee met yesterday, to further consider matters regarding recognition of Australia’s indigenous people, and will be co-chaired by Senator Patrick Dodson, Senator for Western Australia, and Julian Leeser MP, Member for Berowra.

The Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples is expected to report by the end of November this year, with an interim report due in July.

The Committee is calling for submissions and is considering options for public meetings and hearings.

Co-Chairs Senator Dodson and Mr Leeser MP said, "As a committee, we are looking for common ground and ways forward on these critical matters for Australia’s future. We hope to hear from Australians about the next steps for recognition of First Nations peoples. We plan to consult widely, starting with First Nations leadership. We understand that a great deal of work has already been done: the job of this committee is to build on that work and to now take the next steps."

The Committee website has details of Committee membership, and will be the first point of information about the work of the Committee.

Written submissions should be received by Monday 11 June, to assist with planning meetings and hearings, but the Committee may accept submissions after this date.

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website.

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THE 2018 Infrastructure Australia (IA) Priority List showcases the need for a greater focus on infrastructure investment, particularly in expanding transport network capacity to support our rapidly growing capital cities. 

All of the projects identified as ‘High Priority’ are slated to improve transport infrastructure in our major cities. 

“The report recognises the opportunities of Australia’s rapidly growing population, which is currently growing faster than any other developed country,” Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said. 

“But to boost our productivity and living standards, we need to build vital infrastructure to meet the demands of this new population,” she said. 

“Master Builders welcomes existing government commitments to infrastructure that are contributing to a surge in commercial activity over the next five years, with transport infrastructure investment expected to peak in 2019-20,” Ms Wawn said. 

“This type of investment needs to be sustained to support population growth and the liveability of our cities,” she said. 

“The Infrastructure Priority List provides governments with a pipeline of projects in different stages of planning, so governments can invest with confidence in critical projects that will help our cities to grow and prosper. 

“Delivering these projects on-time and on-budget is critical if Australia is to meet its future growth potential. Master Builders is concerned that the merger, confirmed today, of the MUA and CFMEU, two of Australia’s most militant unions, is a threat to delivering this pipeline,” she said. 

“Previous work by Master Builders has also shown that these major transport infrastructure projects are key to supporting greater housing construction. Federal government investment in these projects, as well as through its Cities Deals Program, is slated to support the construction of more than 100,000 new homes over the next five years by reducing the infrastructure chokepoints to new housing supply,” Ms Wawn said.

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THE Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation will today convene a roundtable in Canberra which will end its public hearing schedule for its inquiry. 

The Acting Chair of the Committee, Ms Meryl Swanson MP said, “The Committee is again bringing together the Expert Panel to review and discuss the evidence gathered by the Committee since August 2017”.

“We look forward to receiving their valuable analysis. The Committee will use that analysis to help formulate our recommendations to government on how best to encourage regional development and what role decentralisation should have in that development.”

The panel includes the following people:

• Mr Jack Archer:CEO Regional Australia Institute;
• Professor Andrew Beer:University of South Australia, Chair Regional Studies Association;
• Professor John Cole OAM:Executive Director of the Institute for Resilient Regions at the University of Southern Queensland;
• Ms Anne Dunn:Director, Every Voice Inc;
• Professor Fiona Haslam McKenzie:Co-Director/Senior Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Regional Development, University of Western Australia; and
• Professor Tony Sorensen:University of New England

The roundtable is open to the public. Details of the roundtable proceedings, and a transcript of the discussion will be available on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details: 3:30pm - 6:00pm, Wednesday 28 March, Committee Room 2R2, Parliament House

For the full programs of this public hearing, see the Committee’s website.

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