Statement: Urban areas in North Queensland towns shielded from rail corridor

[ozbob]

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney

Urban areas in North Queensland towns shielded from rail corridor

Residents of the North Queensland towns of Collinsville and Merinda have been assured that urban areas in their communities will not be affected by a proposed State Development Area.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney repeated his government's intention in Parliament today that urban areas in these two townships would be excluded from any final Galilee Basin State Development Area.

"We promised better planning and infrastructure at the election and today's announcement demonstrates that we are delivering on those commitments," Mr Seeney said.

"Feedback from the affected communities, plus further rail planning work has allowed the Coordinator General to identify broad areas of these towns that will be excluded, if and when we declare a State Development area.

"The proposed Galilee State Development Area is designed to facilitate the construction of rail corridors to carry coal from potential Galilee Basin mines to the Port of Abbot Point.

"Residents in these urban areas can now be assured their properties will not be affected by proposed rail lines in the future and I anticipate further refinements to the proposed State Development Area as consultation continues.

"Labor failed to plan properly for the resources industry but under this Government we are growing it as one of the four pillars of the economy."

The following areas will be excised from the proposed State Development Area:

    Collinsville - the area currently encompassing the existing rail network and bound generally by where the Bowen Development Road crosses Pelican Creek in the south and the foot hills of Mt Devlin adjacent to the existing rail line in the north.   
    Merinda - the area generally between the Bruce Highway and Jackson Street adjacent to the two existing rail lines.                 

Mr Seeney said landholders in these areas would be directly contacted by the Coordinator General's office to discuss the impact of these refinements.

"Staff from the Coordinator General's office will be visiting the region throughout March to meet individually with a range of people," he said.

"All feedback received before March 28, 2014 will be considered and used to review the extent of the Galilee Basin State Development Area, precinct and development scheme."

Member for Burdekin, Rosemary Menkens, welcomed the Deputy Premier's comments that urban areas in Merinda and Collinsville would not be included in any declared State Development Area.

"His assurance is a most welcome relief to landholders in the Burdekin electorate," Ms Menkens said.

"Under a broadly proposed SDA, landholders received notification that their properties may be impacted with construction of the vital rail link to the Port of Abbot Point, however they have now been given assurances that these urban areas will be excised from the SDA if and when it is declared."

Mrs Menkens said the majority of Burdekin constituents remain in full support of Abbot Point.

"Our small towns have been struggling. They have been waiting for too long while Labor and the Greens have delayed these infrastructure projects which will bring the jobs and prosperity needed to once again breathe life into the local economy," she said.

Residents seeking further information on the proposed State Development area can call 1800 001 048.

[ENDS] 4 March 2014