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Government supporting expanded beef industry in Queensland
The Coalition Government is continuing to bolster local industry with the financial close of a $24 million Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) loan to Signature Onfarm that will secure the expansion of the beef industry in central Queensland.
Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt said this NAIF loan, which has already begun to be drawn down, will enable Signature Onfarm to build beef processing facilities and on-site employee accommodation near Clermont in Queensland.
“The expansion of these facilities will benefit the central Queensland cattle industry, and will create much needed jobs in the region as Australia recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Signature Onfarm Beef will be a 200-head-a-day abattoir, established by Central Queensland pastoralists Josie and Blair Angus. The $37 million operation is well and truly underway, with the facility expected to be fully operational in July. Mr Angus said the facility would support the region s beef producers and generate economic spin-offs throughout the region. This project is about delivering returns to farm gate, jobs to the bush and delivering bespoke products to consumers, he said. Producers in our region have invested a lot in the quality of their herds and a boutique facility like this aims to maximise the potential and value of each and every one of those individual carcasses.
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Precision and accuracy are among the benefits the local agricultural industry could see from the latest Global Navigation Satellite System ground station upgrades.
Bundaberg is one of the first in Queensland to receive the upgrades and benefit from more reliable and accessible positioning technology.
Speaking in a Greensill Farming shed today, federal Member for Hinkler and Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt said the improvements would help increase productivity and open up new economic opportunities.
“GNSS ground station data from stations like the one in Bundaberg make it possible to get reliable and precise positioning down from around 10m to just 3cm accuracy in areas of mobile phone coverage,” Mr Pitt said.
Joint media release with Garth Hamilton MP, Member for Groom
Federal Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt says today’s High Court decision on Oakey’s New Acland mine shows the urgent need for the Queensland Labor Government to reform its approval process for resources projects.
Minister Pitt said the decision to send the matter back to the Land Court puts hundreds of job in jeopardy.
“This is a classic example of the Queensland approval process allowing activists to use the courts and legal system to delay legitimate resources projects,” Minister Pitt said.
“Once again a regional area is in danger of missing out on the jobs and economic boost a project like this will bring because out-of-town and interstate activists know how to use the legal system to support their agenda.
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Resources sector driving jobs growth
Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt says the latest jobs figures have again confirmed the importance of the mining industry to Australia with a big increase in the number of Australians employed in the sector.
Minister Pitt said the figures are a testament to how crucial the resources industry has been to Australia in the COVID recovery.
“The number of people employed in mining jumped by 22,000, or nearly 10 per cent, in the three months to November last year, providing jobs for 264,000 Australians,” Minister Pitt said.
“Coal mining was the standout during the quarter, jumping by 25 per cent to employ an extra 11,000 people and a total of 62,000 across the country.