ALP Queensland, just normal

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    Hayden Johnson, The Courier-Mail

    Jackie Trad has distanced herself from the State Government’s ‘secret deal’ to allocate hundreds of hectares of North Stradbroke Island’s pristine bushland for indigenous development.

    Ms Trad, who led the island’s Economic Transition Strategy while Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Treasurer, has declared she played no part in this week’s controversial land allocation – having left Cabinet five months ago.
    The State Government this week revealed it had rezoned about 300 hectares of land for indigenous development on the island under a Temporary Local Planning Instrument.

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    The zoning, which shocked residents, stakeholders and the Redland City Council, will allow the island’s body corporate managers the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation to facilitate indigenous housing and commercial development.

    Ms Trad, the state’s Deputy Premier and Treasurer from November 2017 until May this year, said she played no part in any land allocation, declaring it was the Bligh Government which progressed Native Title and the Newman Government which was aware of its detail.

    “All land transfers were determined under the legal instrument of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement ratified under the Bligh Labor Government and ignored by Mark Robinson and the Newman LNP Government,” she said.
    The link between Ms Trad and QYAC CEO Cameron Costello has raised questions about the transparency of the deals between the organisations.

    Mr Costello joined Ms Trad – who was filling in for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk – on a trip to the People’s Republic of China last year.

    “It’s no secret Queensland is a very attractive destination for overseas tourists and China is one of our major markets, particularly Chinese international students,” she said.

    “It is eminently sensible that Trade and Investment Queensland would include three leaders from the tourism sector in this trade trip to Shanghai.”

    Then Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad met with Yango Group in Shanghai. QYAC CEO Cameron Costello also attended the meeting.

    Then Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad met with Yango Group in Shanghai. QYAC CEO Cameron Costello also attended the meeting.

    The QYAC CEO attended the trip to promote indigenous tourism, however, he also sat in on a meeting with prominent Chinese developer Yango Group Co.

    Ms Trad’s travel diary does not note Mr Costello’s attendance at the meeting.

    Mr Costello has denied there was a secret deal.

    “The TLPI is not a secret deal and no development has been proposed for Minjerribah as part of the TLPI,” he said.
    LNP Member for Oodgeroo Mark Robinson believed the island’s economic transition from sand mining to indigenous tourism had created division within the community.

    “Labor has completely botched the transition plan for the North Stradbroke Island economy and this secrecy is making it worse,” he said.
    Treasurer and Planning Minister Cameron Dick said there was no secret deal and declared the planning change would allow Redland City Council to “undertake more consultation”.

    “Redland City Council will now consult with the community about future opportunities for economic growth, jobs and housing on the island,” he said.

    The Opposition has promised to launch an inquiry into Labor’s management of Stradbroke Island and this week’s land allocation, however, Mr Costello said it would be worthless.

    “Any proposed inquiry by the LNP is a waste of taxpayers money because it actually shows that the LNP Newman Government was involved in the land use planning process from 2012-2015, progressing these very same parcels of land,” he said.
    “Our community engagement included community workshops in 2012 with Quandamooka People and was thorough enough to receive a Planning Institute of Australia award in 2013.
 
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