AS BOWEN and Collinsville residents prepare to head to the polls, on Saturday, the Whitsunday News has quizzed the election candidates for the Burdekin Electorate.
In all, six candidates have nominated for the Burdekin Electorate – which includes Bowen and Collinsville – in the Queensland Government Election, this Saturday, October 26, 2024.
They are (in alphabetical order): Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party; Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP); Andrew Elborne, One Nation; Dale Last, LNP; Amanda Nickson, Family First; and Ben Watkin, The Greens.
The Whitsunday News, in conjunction with the Bowen Chamber of Commerce, posed the following questions to the candidates, relating to key issues for the region:
QUESTIONS
1
The Bowen Pipeline Company: Your position on the delivery of the water scheme from the Burdekin River via Abbot Point and onto Bowen?
2
Private Medical Practitioners: How will you address the shortage of medical doctors in private practice in Bowen?
3
Bowen Hospital Car Parking: Currently 17 Bays exist for visitors and people attending the Emergency Department, but there are over 60 visits per day. How will you address this?
4
Your position on the required upgrade of the Bruce Highway within the Bowen region?
5
Workcover and insurance costs: Not-for-profit organisations cannot cope with continual increases in costs eg. Nursing Homes. What would you do?
6
Critical Housing Shortage: Lack of housing is critical to Bowen. How will you approach this issue?
7
What would you do for Collinsville residents, if you gained government?
RESPONSES
Both Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party, and Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP), have so far provided responses to the questions.
The Whitsunday News will add more responses, as they come in from the other candidates.
QUESTION 1
The Bowen Pipeline Company: Your position on the delivery of the water scheme from the Burdekin River via Abbot Point and onto Bowen?
Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party:
I was very disappointed to hear the Bowen Pipeline project didn’t get to where we wanted it to before the government went into caretaker mode. I completely and wholeheartedly support this project.
Bowen Pipeline Company’s water solution technology is designed to work now, and many years into the future. It will set a new precedent for horticultural standards and production in Queensland.
The pipeline will also symbolize the company’s devotion to farmers, and genuine desire to invest in the Bowen region and all of Queensland.
As a candidate I worked hard to move this project along. As a member, I promise to see it come to fruition.
Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP):
Water is what’s missing to kick start the next stage in Bowen’s development. The KAP are strong supporters of nation building projects, harnessing our abundant natural resources.
QUESTION 2
Private Medical Practitioners: How will you address the shortage of medical doctors in private practice in Bowen?
Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party:
Improving health services has always been a huge priority for me. We have a shortage of Private Medical Practitioners right across the electorate. Particularly in Bowen.
I believe the first step in the right direction is to manage sustainability. To ensure private practice activities in the Queensland public health sector are sustainable, we need to offer a business plan framework to future proof the sector.
We also need to attract more medical professionals with the help of attraction initiatives and real advice to prospective professionals, to understand just how good living and working in our region can be. I pledge to lobby and advocate the government for attraction to region assistance, to bridge the current gap.
The training of medical professionals in region is imperative. Our $10 million dollar TAFE Pilot program in Ayr and Home Hill will see that we are assisting our next generation of medical staff on their journey to careers in nursing, allied health, dental, laboratory science and more.
Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP):
We need to engage with the local Health Service (Mackay HHS) to enter into partnerships with GPs to provide support to GPs coming into practice here, as has been done with THHS, in Ayr.
Also, we need to cut business costs and ensure there are decent housing and school options to make sure that medical professionals want to bring their families to live here.
The area itself is outstandingly beautiful so, as long as doctors have support for their businesses, they will come and they will stay.
QUESTION 3
Bowen Hospital Car Parking: Currently 17 Bays exist for visitors and people attending the Emergency Department, but there are over 60 visits per day. How will you address this?
Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party:
Currently at the Bowen Hospital, only 17 parking bays exist. Simply not enough when we need at least 60 car parks to handle the current load of patients and visitors, with many visitors needing to walk the hill to gain access to the hospital.
As I have proved with my current funded commitments, in just a short time as candidate, my voice is not going un-heard by State and Federal Government, unlike some whose voices don’t seem to be heard at all.
Coal Royalties can and will fund this carpark upgrade. We need a funding action plan that can be implemented and adhered to, so that our voices are constantly heard in time of need. For the Bowen Hospital carpark…that time is now.
Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP):
This is an issue that has been ignored by the current member and the Labor Government.
As a paediatric surgeon, I know the importance of accessibility for hospitals, and I will be a fierce advocate to work across all jurisdictions and organisations to urgently find a solution.
QUESTION 4
Your position on the required upgrade of the Bruce Highway within the Bowen region?
Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party:
So far, as a candidate, I have secured over $150 million dollars to improve the Peak Downs Highway. And as a Member… the Bruce Highway is next in my sights.
The Bruce Highway Upgrade Program is the largest road infrastructure program in Queensland, aimed at enhancing safety, flood resilience, and capacity along the Bruce Highway, between Brisbane and Cairns.
What we need is a stronger focus on the stretch between Mackay to Townsville. Again…Progressive Coal Royalties are our chance for change. If we lose the royalties, I believe we lose our chance to fix the Bruce Highway properly.
Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP):
The Bruce highway is our connectivity. KAP have a comprehensive Bruce Highway policy backed by eminent economists, which outlines how we must reallocate wasted expenditure in the South-East to fix Queensland’s transport artery.
QUESTION 5
Workcover and insurance costs: Not-for-profit organisations cannot cope with continual increases in costs eg. Nursing Homes. What would you do?
Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party:
Natural disasters such as cyclones and storm related flooding have impacted us greatly in our regions, which has escalated insurance costs. I will work with Government to alleviate the costs as much as possible and fight for concessions.
Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP):
KAP have a long-standing policy to remove stamp duty on insurance. This handbrake tax on looking after yourself and your business needs to go.
QUESTION 6
Critical Housing Shortage: Lack of housing is critical to Bowen. How will you approach this issue?
Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party:
As the previous chair of the Isaac affordable housing board for many years, I have learnt that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, having fought hard to secure funding and deliver 16 affordable housing units to Moranbah; however, we have a long way to go.
We need to expand the social and affordable rental housing model, whilst also maintaining a focus on aged care.
Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP):
KAP supports a range of measures to open up housing availability, including first home-owner grant reform to extend to existing homes, and incentivising rural residential land development, where appropriate.
QUESTION 7
What would you do for Collinsville residents, if you gained government?
Anne Baker, Australian Labor Party:
I am completely ready to be a strong and worthy representative for Collinsville.
We need effective representation with a voice, who will stand up for local working families and regional communities in their time of need.
I know I can do better for Collinsville and have already committed funding. It is like home to me.
I have a proven record of putting people over politics and I have shown that – whether it is government, mining or agriculture – I will always put my communities first, including Collinsville.
Daniel Carroll, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP):
Having visited Collinsville last weekend, I would say one of the biggest problems for residents would be the state of the roads around Collinsville, particularly onward to Moranbah. Some of those potholes should have their own postcode!
