Rudd remains an indecisive dud
Published Friday, 09 August, 2013 at 04:58 PM
Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney
The Rudd Government’s failure today, yet again, to make a decision on the expansion of Abbot Point coal port clearly exposes it as being incapable of responsible government.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said today it’s what we had come to expect from Federal Labor.
“Kevin Rudd and his Ministers simply cannot make the rational decisions that are needed to build the Australian economy and benefit the nation,” Mr Seeney said.
“They have now stalled by another three months a decision on whether or not they will approve the important expansion plans for Abbot Point.
“A decision was due in early July. It was put off until today. Today it is avoided again.
“Rudd and his shambolic ministry are an unmitigated failure. Today they have abrogated any claim to deserve re-election.
“The Abbot Point expansion is crucial to the future of Queensland, and will enable the opening up of the rich resources of the Galilee Basin.
“Development of the Galilee Basin holds the potential for $71 billion of new investment in Queensland and the possibility of tens of thousands of new jobs.”
Mr Seeney said that seemed to matter little to the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd Governments who for years have been delaying decisions on major projects in Queensland.
“This is the second major project put on hold by Kevin Rudd this week,” he said.
“On Tuesday a decision on the Kevin’s Corner mine in the Galilee Basin was delayed by another 60 business days – effectively three months – until October 30 by Minister Butler.
“The Queensland Coordinator-General approved this project at the end of May.
“It holds the potential to create almost 2000 construction jobs and 1600 ongoing operational roles.
“Yet that means nothing to this say-anything do-nothing Labor Party.
“The only jobs they are focussed on are their own and those of their Labor mates.
“They’ll work furiously to protect those jobs and couldn’t care less about people in regional Queensland.
“We are getting on with making the decisions that will drive not just Queensland’s economy, but more widely the Australian economy, but unfortunately Rudd Labor is incapable of doing the same.
“The latest unemployment statistics put the lie to his spin with Queensland creating more than 18,000 jobs and being described as the “standout performer” with “buoyant” conditions by independent economists.
“Those figures would be even higher if Federal Labor got its act together and approved these important projects.”
[ENDS] 9 August 2013
Media Contact: Kate Haddan – 0418 373 516
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said today it’s what we had come to expect from Federal Labor.
“Kevin Rudd and his Ministers simply cannot make the rational decisions that are needed to build the Australian economy and benefit the nation,” Mr Seeney said.
“They have now stalled by another three months a decision on whether or not they will approve the important expansion plans for Abbot Point.
“A decision was due in early July. It was put off until today. Today it is avoided again.
“Rudd and his shambolic ministry are an unmitigated failure. Today they have abrogated any claim to deserve re-election.
“The Abbot Point expansion is crucial to the future of Queensland, and will enable the opening up of the rich resources of the Galilee Basin.
“Development of the Galilee Basin holds the potential for $71 billion of new investment in Queensland and the possibility of tens of thousands of new jobs.”
Mr Seeney said that seemed to matter little to the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd Governments who for years have been delaying decisions on major projects in Queensland.
“This is the second major project put on hold by Kevin Rudd this week,” he said.
“On Tuesday a decision on the Kevin’s Corner mine in the Galilee Basin was delayed by another 60 business days – effectively three months – until October 30 by Minister Butler.
“The Queensland Coordinator-General approved this project at the end of May.
“It holds the potential to create almost 2000 construction jobs and 1600 ongoing operational roles.
“Yet that means nothing to this say-anything do-nothing Labor Party.
“The only jobs they are focussed on are their own and those of their Labor mates.
“They’ll work furiously to protect those jobs and couldn’t care less about people in regional Queensland.
“We are getting on with making the decisions that will drive not just Queensland’s economy, but more widely the Australian economy, but unfortunately Rudd Labor is incapable of doing the same.
“The latest unemployment statistics put the lie to his spin with Queensland creating more than 18,000 jobs and being described as the “standout performer” with “buoyant” conditions by independent economists.
“Those figures would be even higher if Federal Labor got its act together and approved these important projects.”
[ENDS] 9 August 2013
Media Contact: Kate Haddan – 0418 373 516