Opposition Statement: Labor greed could send our roads and rail offshore

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Fiona Simpson MP

Shadow Minister for Main Roads and Transport

Member for Maroochydore

19 June 2009

Labor greed could send our roads and rail offshore

The State Opposition have challenged the Premier to rule out foreign ownership of Queensland?s roads and rail.

Shadow Minister for Transport Fiona Simpson raised the issue in parliament yesterday.

?The Premier raced to an election early because she was already planning to flog off our transport assets and now integrated ownership from mine to port has been alluded to,? Ms Simpson said.

?The people of Queensland need to know who is going to own our roads, our rail, and our ports.

?The people of Queensland have a right to know if an overseas country is going to come in, see a great deal, and take jobs away from those who need them most.?

Ms Simpson said the potential loss of jobs due to foreign ownership is a very real threat.

?There is reason to be concerned that there will be an integration of an overseas country coming in and buying our assets from mine to rail to port.  This is an enormous risk to jobs.

?The Premier does not have a mandate to do this.  It was deceitful to trot to an election without giving voters the truth.

?The truth is that the Bligh Government called an early election because they already had a plan to flog off every strategic asset they could.  And that will cost jobs.?