Queensland State Government Six Month Action Plan (January–June 2013)

Below is a further breakout of issues relating to horticulture, agriculture and the turf production industry that will be of interest to our members.

Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development

• Launch a 30 year strategic plan for Queensland agriculture.
• Implement the Horticulture Workforce Action Plan.
• Develop priorities for rebuilding research and development for barley breeding and irrigated agronomy.
• Appoint an agronomist in the central highlands.
• Complete and release the Agricultural Land Audit Report.
• Establish a new committee for Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry skills, training and education.
• Re-focus the Australian Agricultural Colleges Corporation and restore the two residential agricultural colleges at Emerald and Longreach.
• Commence an efficiency and performance review of SunWater.
• Develop the 30 year water strategy and release for public consultation.
• Release the 30 year electricity strategy discussion paper for public consultation.
• Undertake a long-term South East Queensland bulk water price review.
• Progress review of local management arrangements for Sunwater’s channel irrigation schemes.
• Deliver the final report of the Electricity Sector Reform Inter-Departmental Committee.
• Implement the first round of funding to help local councils meet the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry recommendations.
• Produce and publish Geology of Queensland to encourage resource exploration.
• Implement simplified land management agreements for pastoral leases.
• Establish an enhanced water quality monitoring framework for the Fitzroy River to support pilot mine water release project.
• Enable conversion of exploration gas wells to water bores where suitable.
• Commence implementing the Bowen Basin infrastructure plan.
• Coordinator General assess applications for eco-tourism on Great Keppel Island.
• Establish Economic Development Queensland.
• Deliver a business plan for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to June 2014 that includes transition arrangements.
• Implement the Drive Tourism Strategy to encourage drive visitors to explore regional Queensland.
• Finalise Commonwealth Games master planning.
• Implement the $20 million Tourism Investment Plan.
• Deliver a Queensland small business strategy and action plan.
• Announce new routes for innovative high productivity heavy vehicles across Queensland.
• Announce the first wave of waterways projects under the Marine Infrastructure Fund.
• Commence turn left on red trial at the Gold Coast.

Environment and Resources

• Establish the Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership Science Panel and hold first meeting.
• Announce successful projects as part of the $2 million Healthy Waterways Program to improve waterway health in South East Queensland.
• Implement a framework and partnership for best management programs for the sugar cane growing and cattle grazing industries to better protect the Great Barrier Reef.
• Streamline environmental impact statements terms of reference.
• Publicly release performance information relating to environmental assessments and approvals across the state.
• Release expression of interest (EOI) calling for sustainable ecotourism development initiatives in protected areas.
• Develop an outdoor recreation strategy for protected areas.
• Grant water licences to successful parties that tendered for unallocated water in the Flinders and Gilbert river catchments of the Gulf.
• Launch the tender process to enable the release of unallocated water in the Baffle Catchment and the Great Artesian Basin.

Regards,

Jim Vaughan