Shadow Minister for Northern Australia Jason Clare and Member for Herbert Cathy O’Toole have demanded answers from the Turnbull Government on its broken promise to set-up a Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) in Townsville.
The CRC was supposed to create jobs in Townsville and across Northern Australia by investing in research to boost the competitiveness of local industries.
Ms O’Toole secured a commitment from the Government to establish the $75 million CRC in Townsville after pressure from a strong community campaign.
The Turnbull Government promised the CRC would be up and running by mid-2016.
In its press release of 21 April 2016, the Government announced that:
“The CRC is expected to commence in mid-2016.”
(JOINT PYNE, FRYDENBERG, CANAVAN, MACDONALD, MEDIA RELEASE, 21 APRIL 2016)
Despite this promise, the community is still waiting.
Minister for Northern Australia, Matt Canavan, then told Parliament on 11 October that the local community can only expect that “… details about its governance will be released shortly.”(Source: Matt Canavan, Northern Australia Annual Statement, 11 October 2016).
In last night’s Senate Estimates hearings, the Minister refused to explain the delay, the broken promise, or to provide details of when the community can expect the CRC to be established.
“I know the consideration of Mr Wharton’s report is progressing, establishing a CRC obviously involves discussions with partners in that process as well, so those discussions are occurring. I hope that they would be completed as soon as possible but I don’t have a timeframe.”
(MATT CANAVAN, SENATE ESTIMATES HEARING, 20 OCTOBER 2016)
When reminded that the idea to establish a CRC responsible for developing Northern Australia is not new and that it was first flagged in the Coalition’s June 2013 election policy, ‘The Coalition’s 2030 vision for Developing Northern Australia’, Minister Canavan admitted that:
“Clearly it has not been established at a timeframe we initially thought and proposed.”
(MATT CANAVAN, SENATE ESTIMATES HEARING, 20 OCTOBER 2016)
With an unemployment rate double the national average and youth unemployment at 20 per cent, this is not good enough. Townsville needs action not another broken promise.
Townsville deserves better from the Turnbull Government.
FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: KORENA FLANAGAN (CLARE) 02 9790 2466
