Latest news with #JarrodBleijie
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Queensland to repeal diversity quotas for Brisbane Olympics board
The Queensland government plans to repeal a requirement that half the board overseeing the organising of the Brisbane Olympics be women and at least one member Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. The change to the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) board is contained in an obscure clause in broad-ranging legislation sponsored by the deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, in May. It is not mentioned in either its explanatory speech or explanatory notes. According to a written briefing by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, made during consideration by a parliamentary committee, the bill would 'enhance efficiency and effectiveness' by 'removing certain requirements for the appointment of OCOG board directors'. That includes 'that 50% of nominated directors be women' and 'that at least one of the independent directors is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander'. The bill has yet to pass parliament but is certain to do so if all government members vote for it. Renee Carr, the executive director of Fair Agenda, said 'women should be an equal part of making the critical decisions that shape its legacy'. 'There's been important progress in recognising women's contribution to sport – as athletes, coaches, and in leadership. We should be leaning into what's possible, not going backwards,' she said. 'Hosting an event of this scale will impact Queensland's economy, infrastructure and tourism. Women's voices and expertise must be an equal part of planning a games that delivers for the whole community.' The executive director of QUT's Carumba Institute, Prof Chelsea Watego, said the plan to remove the requirement was an 'appalling decision'. She said the Sydney Olympics was able to make decisions with a board that included an Indigenous representative, Lowitja O'Donoghue, so there was no case that excluding them would make it more efficient. 'It just tells you how far backwards Queensland has gone under an LNP government,' she said. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Watego said that Brisbane, Queensland and Australia would be on the international stage. 'We're under a microscope, and we have to think very seriously about what this tells the world about who we are as a nation, who we are as a state, and the location of Indigenous peoples and women in relation to that.' Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander said: 'The Crisafulli government has accepted the recommendation of the independent 100 Day Review of the Games to streamline governance arrangements. 'The act is currently before the state development, infrastructure and works committee.' The Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment bill 2025 has a wide-ranging scope, and more than 700 individuals and groups made a submission during a parliamentary inquiry process. Among other changes, the bill will reduce the size of the OCOG board from 24 to 15. It also amends regulation of renewables projects to make them easier for opponents to challenge in court and exempts Olympic venues from legal challenge. The OCOG board is appointed by multiple different agencies separate from the state government, such as the federal sports minister and the president of the Australian Olympic Committee. A legal provision will still apply requiring consideration of the state government's policy on gender equity on boards. The policy sets a non-binding target for gender equity, and does not cover Indigenous representation. The Brisbane Olympics will be held from 23 July to 8 August 2032, with the Paralympics running from 24 August to 5 September. Queensland has never held an Olympics but has hosted the Commonwealth Games, most recently in 2018. A binding provision that the 2032 games be 'climate positive' has also been reportedly removed from the Olympic host contract. It will now aim 'at removing more carbon from the atmosphere than what the Games project emits'.
ABC News
09-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Man rescued from silo filled with fertiliser in rural Queensland
An elderly man is recovering in hospital after being rescued from a fertiliser silo on a rural Queensland property. The man, believed to be in his 80s, fell into the silo of urea at Eurombah, north of Roma, about 500 kilometres north-west of Brisbane on Sunday. A Queensland Fire Department spokeswoman said six crews, including the vertical rescue team and confined space crew, arrived at the site just before 3pm, about 90 minutes after the alarm was raised. "They found a person inside a silo, the vertical rescue team went down on their harness to extricate the person," she said. It took more than two hours for the crews to free the man, as the teams worked to remove the highly concentrated nitrogen fertiliser with buckets. Once free, the man was flown by helicopter to Roma Hospital in a stable condition after being treated by paramedics at the scene. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and Roma Hospital have been contacted for comment. Days earlier, Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie spoke about farm safety while visiting FarmFest in Toowoomba. Mr Bleijie said it was essential for farmers to be aware of their safety at work. "We know that in Queensland, unfortunately, agriculture is one of the highest risks for workplace health and safety incidents," he said. Mr Bleijie said the goal was always for people to go to work in the morning and return home safely to their families at the end of the day. "But ultimately it comes down to individual responsibility as well and the more people hear about being conscious about farm safety and safety at the workplace, the safer everyone will be." Condamine MP Pat Weir said farming accidents happened too often, and urged farmers to keep safety front of mind. "I have attended the funerals of people that I grew up with and went to school with, that have been killed in farm accidents," he said. The state government has launched a farm safety calendar competition to raise awareness around potential safety hazards on farms and throughout rural communities. "I have been taken to hospital in an ambulance myself from an accident on a farm, so I know at first hand this [farm safety] calendar goes through the various issues that farmers deal with — whether it's dealing with livestock, whether it's electricity, whether it's floods, there's a machinery, machinery is a very unforgiving," Mr Weir said. "There are a lot of issues when you are farming, so to put the focus on farm safety is something that I support whole."
Epoch Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Queensland Opens 9 New Gas Development Zones to Tackle Soaring Energy Prices
Queensland has revealed that from May 29, it will accept tenders for proposals to develop nine new gas exploration areas across the Cooper/Eromanga and Bowen/Surat Basins, aiming to boost domestic supply and ease energy prices. The announcement comes as the recently elected Crisafulli Liberal National Party (LNP) government shifts away from renewable energy projects, towards more traditional energy investment. 'The best way to bring down energy prices is to have more energy in the market, and that starts with exploration,' Natural Resources Minister Dale Last said in a statement. 'These steps are about unlocking new supply, securing an investment pipeline and getting the right policy settings in place.' The government confirmed that none of the newly released areas will intersect with the Lake Eyre Basin Strategic Environmental Area. The upcoming review will examine every stage—from expressions of interest to competitive tenders—to ensure that environmental, agricultural and community values are respected. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie (L) and Premier David Crisafulli arrive to talk to media after being sworn in at Government House in Brisbane, Australia, on Oct. 28, 2024. AAP Image/Jono Searle The move is also a major economic lever. Related Stories 5/25/2025 5/21/2025 Queensland's gas royalties have averaged $1.7 billion annually over the past three years, supporting nearly 6,000 direct jobs and thousands more across the supply chain. LNG is now the state's second-largest export after coal, with 1,550 petajoules of coal seam gas produced for domestic and international markets in 2024 alone. Minister Last criticised anti-gas policies in other states, particularly Victoria, for putting the east coast market under pressure. 'Unscientific decisions made by the southern states have left Queensland carrying the load,' he said. 'We need a regulatory framework that supports new development instead of holding it back.' Despite Victoria being one of the heaviest gas users in the country due to its colder winters, the previous Andrews Labor government maintained a strict ban on gas exploration and development to appease climate advocates. Australian Energy Producers CEO Samantha McCulloch called it a vital step in securing future gas supply for households and industry. McCulloch also praised Queensland for 'doing the heavy lifting' to ensure a reliable supply to the east coast. Report Warns of Australia's Waning Investment Appeal The announcement came just a day after energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie released a stark report warning that Australia is losing ground in global gas investment. Australia's Natural Gas Investment Competitiveness found that while global gas exploration spending rose nearly 30 percent over the past five years, Australia's grew by only 15 percent. The report also found that 95 percent of surveyed gas executives believe Australia is a less attractive investment destination than it was five years ago. The analysis included a CEO sentiment survey of Australian gas producers. Regulatory and policy uncertainty were cited as key deterrents, with one in five projects impacted either cancelled or relocated overseas. Australia's share in the investment portfolios of major international oil companies has plunged from 40 percent a decade ago to just 15 percent today. McCulloch said the findings underscore the need for stable, bipartisan policy. 'The new political landscape presents opportunities for industry to work with the government and opposition on enduring reforms for long-term energy security and economic growth,' she said.
AU Financial Review
27-05-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Queensland hits out at ‘ideological' Victorian energy policy
Queensland Energy Minister David Janetzki says the decision to cancel a major wind farm project does not spell the end of renewables investment, as he took a swipe at the Victorian government's handling of energy policy. Renewables advocates labelled Queensland 'closed for clean business' on Monday after Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie cancelled Greenleaf Renewables' proposed Moonlight Ridge wind farm near Rockhampton, even though the project had received planning approvals.
The Australian
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Australian
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie scraps $1bn Rockhampton wind farm
A $1bn wind farm project in central Queensland has officially been scrapped after Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie used ministerial powers to refuse the development application. The Moonlight Range Wind Farm, proposed by Greenleaf Renewables, was to include 88 turbines and a large battery energy storage system spanning 24 parcels of land at Morinish, about 40km west of Rockhampton. The project aimed to generate up to 450 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 260,000 homes annually. Despite receiving state planning department approval in December last year, the project was called in for reassessment by Mr Bleijie in January. The Moonlight Range Wind Farm, proposed by Greenleaf Renewables, was planned to include 88 turbines and a large battery energy storage system spanning 24 parcels of land at Morinish, about 40 kilometres west of Rockhampton. Picture: NewsWire/Nadir Kinani More than 500 submissions were received - including 142 from local residents - during a two-month public consultation period, with 88 per cent of respondents opposing the development. Key concerns included pressure the 300 expected construction workers would put on accommodation, inadequate community consultation, environmental risks, and potential bushfire hazards. Mr Bleijie said the rejection reflected a new approach requiring renewable energy projects to meet the same rigorous approval standards as major developments in other industries such as mining and agriculture. 'If communities support these projects, they will go ahead,' Mr Bleijie said. 'But 88 per cent of local residents opposed the Moonlight Range Wind Farm proceeding. 'We believe renewable energy projects should have the same community buy-in as other sectors.' A $1 billion wind farm project northwest of Rockhampton has been officially cancelled after Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie used ministerial powers to refuse the development application. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire The project had promised 300 jobs during construction and about 10 ongoing positions once operational, with construction slated to start in 2026. However, community opposition proved decisive. Member for Mirani Glen Kelly, who campaigned against the project, said community concerns had been listened to and considered as part of the approval process. 'The voices of regional Queenslanders who host these projects in their backyard are an important state interest and are finally being heard,' Mr Kelly said. 'These large-scale developments impact on local infrastructure, people living and working in these communities and also the natural environment. The wind farm would have connected to the nearby 275kV Powerlink transmission network to distribute clean energy. However, with the refusal now official, the project will not proceed. Under the Planning Act, the minister's call-in decision cannot be appealed. Andrew Hedgman Reporter Andrew Hedgman is a journalist for the South Burnett Times. Andrew Hedgman
