ROCKHAMPTON Regional Council, backed by business and community leaders, wants a seat at a more "considerate" table in the aftermath of the federal poll.
Mayor Margaret Strelow has dumped the kid gloves to call for an overhaul of the manner in which regional areas are being treated by other levels of government, particularly the Palaszczuk administration.
Hosting members of the business sector and local community at a City hall briefing, Cr Strelow said the May 18 election result proved regional areas were sick of being taken for granted.
"We want to get a message to other levels of government that we want serious jobs for the regions and we do support Adani," Cr Strelow said.
"We often see it written that regions have been 'left behind', as if we have failed to do something or not embraced opportunities available to us. In fact, the opposite is true.
"We haven't been left behind, but simply held back. Chronic under-investment in infrastructure, education, skills and jobs continues, exacerbated by a lack of political will from other levels of government to change things.
"We had a good meeting today and we want to see Adani given a air go and for the Galilee Basin to open and for those jobs to flow so we can start to build a long term future."
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the resistance to approving Adani was not about money despite early claims it sought public funding for a rail link to the coast.
"Adani has done what has been asked of them," Mr Macfarlane said.
"Adani has the approval of the two best scientific organisations in Australia, world renowned organisations GeoScience Australia and the CSIRO.
"It has good management plans in the black throated finch. In fact their management plan is the same as that put forward by two other mines which have approvals, yet Adani remains in limbo.
"Central Queenslanders care about future as much as other Australians. Mining employs over 350,000 Queensland and they earn on average over $100,000 a year and all they want is a fair go.
"What we want to see is the premier and the treasurer in hard hats sitting in a coal mine saying this industry supports Queensland."
Federal MP elect for Capricornia Michelle Landry said it would be good if the State MPs attended the Day of Action rally, though she expressed disappointment they failed to attend the city hall talkfest.
"Today we saw lots of business engaged in support of the mining sector in central Queensland and as I keep saying tens of thousands of people across the area are involved in mining and I would actually like to see our representatives come forward to support this community," Ms Landry said.
It is unclear what form the Day of Action will take but community goups, businesses, organisations and councils from across regional Queensland can participate.
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
