ALL roads are leading to Central Queensland for the nation's political leaders as pollsters for the Coalition and Labor eye key battleground seats in an election race tipped to be neck and neck.
While there has been no poll date called, both Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott have unofficially campaigned in Rockhampton this week, offering multi-million dollar funding to the city's biggest event, the triennial Beef Australia expo, due to be held in May 2015.
After Mr Rudd announced on Tuesday at Gracemere saleyards that his government would commit $2.5 million in funding to the event, Mr Abbott has today promised the Coalition would match the figure if elected at the upcoming election.
Mr Abbott, who made the announcement at today's Paradise Lagoons campdraft and horse sale on the property of cattle king Graeme Acton just outside the beef capital, said the investment would enable Beef Australia to stage a world-class industry event which promotes Australian products to existing and potential markets.
"Beef cattle are one of Australia's major industries, critical to the Northern Australia economy and in particular Queensland. Around 200,000 people are employed in the red meat industry, including on-farm production, processing and retail," Mr Abbott said.
"As the world's largest exporter of beef, Australia plays a leading role in the global industry and is regarded as one of the world's most efficient producers of cattle.
"The Beef Australia 2015 expo will bring together the national beef industry to examine the latest technological innovations and to learn about improved environmental and animal welfare practices."
Beginning in 1988, the expo has grown into an iconic international event for the Australian beef industry celebrating the Queensland cattle industry.
The last expo in 2012 was attended by about 85,000 people and saw about $31.3 million being invested into the local economy.
