Proposed North Queensland abattoir

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF Qld) has released a feasibility study and investment report for a proposed abattoir in Cloncurry, Queensland.
 
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh, said he was in support of establishing a meat processing facility in rural Queensland.
 
“An abattoir in north west Queensland would provide cattle producers with more options for getting their product from paddock to plate,” Mr McVeigh said. 
 
“Queensland is the largest cattle producing State in Australia and is responsible for almost 50 per cent of Australian beef and up to 10 per cent of live cattle exports. 
 
“Cattle producers in the Gulf-Savannah and Mt Isa to Townsville (MITEZ) regions of Queensland are faced with expensive cattle transportation to southern feedlots, south east Queensland processors or live export ports in the north.  
 
“There are no abattoirs in the north western region for producers, so their only option is to face the significantly high cattle transport costs to get them to a port or processor.
 
“The cost of transporting cattle is increasing due to animal welfare and driver fatigue regulations, rising fuel and labour costs and insecurities about the live export market. 
 
“Having a local abattoir would lower the cost of supply chains for graziers,” Mr McVeigh said.

Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean said that if an abattoir was to go ahead the proposal would need to stack up in the eyes of operators and investors.
 
“The feasibility study analysed a number of potential locations in Queensland with Cloncurry being identified as the most suitable for potential investors interested in developing an abattoir facility in this region," he said.

"But any proposal has to stack up and make commercial sense.

“The report will inform the decisions of industry and investors looking at development opportunities in the northern beef industry.
 
“The Federal Government has been working in partnership with the States through the Northern Australia Ministerial Forum (NAMF) to look at the opportunities for the sustainable development of Northern Australia, of which the northern beef industry is a major contributor," Mr Crean said.

Mr McVeigh said there were a number of advantages that Cloncurry would offer as the proposed abattoir site.
 
“The Cloncurry area has good road access in north western Queensland and through to eastern Northern Territory,” Mr McVeigh said.
 
“It is located within a significant labour catchment with Mt Isa only 120 kilometres away. 
 
“The region has suitable finishing areas and future irrigated fodder production areas nearby.
 
“The Newman Government is committed to making agriculture one of the four pillars of Queensland’s economy and doubling food production by 2040. 
 
“An abattoir in Cloncurry would be an asset which will continue to support the industry’s future.

“It is now up to commercial operators or joint venture capitalists to get on board this amazing opportunity to help turn this opportunity into a reality," Mr McVeigh said.
 
The report was commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), supported by the Mount Isa Townsville Economic Zone (MITEZ), Gulf-Savannah Development (GSD), Northbeef and with funding support from the Australian Government through the Northern Outback Queensland Abattoir Study.
 
For further information on the proposed abattoir please contact the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry at www.daff.qld.gov.au

[ENDS] 5 October 2012

Media: Louise Gillis 0408 709 160 (McVeigh)
            Georgia Brumby 0403 949 599 (Crean)