Whitsundays to host Community Cabinet next month

State Cabinet will met in the Whitsundays next month as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to listen to Queenslanders.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told State Parliament her Cabinet Ministers would meet in the Whitsundays on 23 and 24 October with a community forum to be held at Proserpine State High School on Sunday, 23 October.

“Community Cabinet gives Queensland Communities a chance to speak directly with Ministers and raise issues that matter to them,” the Premier said.

“Today I have spoken to the Whitsunday Mayor Andrew Willcox and I look forward to meeting with him and his colleagues about the challenges and opportunities facing the region.”

“Tourism figures released today showed tremendous growth of tourism in northern Queensland – including the Whitsundays.

“In that part of Queensland over the last financial year, the number of visitors are up 30.6% with 2.2 million nights and expenditure of more than half a billion dollars.”

This Community Cabinet meeting will follow earlier meetings in Townsville, Rockhampton, the Brisbane southern suburbs, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Dakabin, the Gold Coast and the Royal Queensland Show.

“My Ministers have had almost 800 deputations at our Community Cabinet meetings to date,” the Premier said.

“We look forward to meeting with residents from across the Whitsundays region.”

“Prior to the State Budget, our Working Queensland Cabinet Committee toured the regions. As a result, our Budget had a strong focus on infrastructure and employment in regional Queensland.

“Almost half of the $10.7 billion capital works budget committed to the regions and $100 million Back to Work program dedicated to support employers taking on long-term unemployed.”

Media contact: Kirby Anderson 0417 263 791