He said heartfelt pleas to Environment Minister Andrew Powell not to allow exploration on Mount Mulligan Station fell on deaf ears.
Premier, Ministers get mixed reception at Mareeba Community Cabinet
By Kirsty Nancarrow
1 Dec 2014, 10:15am
The State Government will meet at Mareeba in far north Queensland this morning to wrap up its final Community Cabinet of the year.
The parliamentary year may be over but with an election only months away, the Premier and his ministers are trying to shore up support in the bush.
The Premier told yesterday's gathering of almost 300 local leaders, business and community representatives it was the third Community Cabinet in David Kempton's Cook electorate.
"He's obviously very persuasive, one on Thursday Island, one at Cooktown and now one here in Mareeba," he said.
"Someone's working the system but clearly to the advantage of people in far north Queensland."
About 100 protesters gathered outside, angry about public service cuts, potential coal seam gas (CSG) projects and asset leasing plans.
Representatives of the anti-CSG gas movement, including Djungan tribesman Percy Neal, were granted one of about 200 meetings with ministers and department staff.
He said heartfelt pleas to Environment Minister Andrew Powell not to allow exploration on Mount Mulligan Station fell on deaf ears.
Mareeba Mayor Tom Gilmore was more up-beat and came away from Community Cabinet with a $420,000 commitment to the town's proposed sporting precinct.
He said he was pleased with the hearing he received on the Mareeba aerodrome and health facilities at Dimbulah.
