Truss applauds Paul Neville’s weed work
Mr Truss said the harvester had recently been transported to the Fraser Coast region from Bundaberg to help combat the spread of water weeds on Teddington Weir, which supplies domestic water to Maryborough.
Mr Truss said the control of river weeds is entirely the responsibility of state governments, but when the Queensland Government walked away from its obligations, the Australian Government stepped in yet again.
“If it was not for the work Paul Neville, Federal Member for Hinkler put in several years ago to obtain Federal Government funds for this harvester, this technology would not be available on the Fraser Coast,” Mr Truss said.
“Typically, Peter Beattie’s government washed their hands of the problem of weed infestation on the Burnett River near Bundaberg, and refused to respond to the environmental devestation that was occurring as a result of this weed growth.”
“Each State Government department passed the problem on, refusing to take responsibility until the local landowners were in desperate straits. At this point, Paul Neville got stuck in.”
Mr Truss said Paul Neville had refused to take no for an answer from Australian Government ministers who balked at providing several hundred thousand dollars to allow local conservation groups to purchase a weed harvester.
“Paul Neville deserves credit for this situation because he saw there was a need for this piece of machinery, and he fought to get it. Paul is a good example of a politician who fights hard for the people of his electorate,” Mr Truss said.
“The people of Maryborough owe a debt of gratitude to Paul Neville, because waiting for the State Government to actually do something to protect our rivers is pointless.”
ENDS
