Kempton: 'Labor budget has abandoned crucial needs of Douglas Shire'

STATE BUDGET

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LNP candidate for Cook David Kempton has slammed the recent State Budget saying the Douglas Shire and wider electorate has been overlooked. Picture: Supplied

LNP candidate for Cook David Kempton has slammed Labor's failure to deliver for the Douglas Shire and Far North with critical infrastructure and essential services completely overlooked in this week’s budget announcements. 

Mr Kempton said Douglas Shire residents would be cynical of the budget which was focused on the next four months, to re-elect Labor, not the next four years and beyond.

“The residents of Cook have been abandoned by Labor in this budget,” Mr Kempton told Newsport.

“We’re already disadvantaged by Labor’s public transport failures in the Far North, and now we won’t see the transport benefits that are clearly designed only to re-elect Labor in South East Queensland – not deliver genuine long-term benefits for all Far North residents.

“After a decade in power, Labor’s redevelopment of the Cooktown Hospital is long overdue but a closer look at the budget papers reveal only $8M of the announced allocation of $200M for that project is due to be spent in the next year.”

Mr Kempton said critical issues such as the Port Douglas and Mossman water supply, the Mossman Mill, the Mareeba Hospital, critical road and bridge maintenance and of course, funds to replace the Barron River bridge were nowhere to be seen in this Budget.

“Labor has completely failed to plan while the Barron River bridge crumbles, and our communities face further traffic and weight restrictions on this vital crossing,” he said. 

“Heaven forbid the economic and social repercussions if the dilapidated bridge deteriorated to the point it had to be closed.

“It’s quite clear that Labor’s Cynthia Lui is in unable to deliver for the Cook electorate. 

“She is part of a Government that has bizarrely told Queenslanders not to judge them on their record and pretend their past failures don’t matter.  

“Labor’s record of delivery in Cook and failures on crime, health, housing, and cost of living do matter, and it’s costing our community dearly.

“Never before has a Queensland Government taxed more, spent more, and borrowed more and Queenlsanders have less to show for it. 

“My priority, as the LNP’s candidate for Cook, is to work with local Councils, community, business and industry groups to identify and advocate for long-term solutions to the critical infrastructure and service issues confronting the Cook electorate.”

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