{"id":330054,"date":"2023-03-17T19:34:08","date_gmt":"2023-03-17T09:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=330054"},"modified":"2023-03-17T19:34:08","modified_gmt":"2023-03-17T09:34:08","slug":"mp-questions-value-of-forums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2023\/03\/17\/mp-questions-value-of-forums\/","title":{"rendered":"MP Questions Value Of Forums"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington speaking in State Parliament on Thursday<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

March 17, 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington has questioned the transparency of the State Government’s Regional Community Forums, and their lack of outcomes.<\/p>\n

The latest round of forums will be held at various locations across Queensland – including Cherbourg – on Monday.<\/p>\n

“One would think that anything that this government could do to put a focus on regional communities would be a positive but when it comes to Labor\u2019s regional community forums I have had long-held concerns,” Mrs Frecklington told State Parliament on Thursday.<\/p>\n

“Yesterday\u2019s media release about the next round of forums heralds how fantastic regional community forums are. It spruiks about listening to regional Queensland, developing discussion themes and creating positive outcomes.<\/p>\n

“What a load of rubbish! They have been running since 2019. There have been no outcomes, no achievements and nothing that anyone knows about.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The regional forums are another example of how this Labor government is more worried about what things look like rather than what actually goes on.<\/p>\n

She pointed out that Opposition MPs were not invited to attend, even when they were the only MPs in a region.<\/p>\n

“The forums are chaired by Labor members. In the case of the Darling Downs and South-West they are chaired by Ipswich MPs and in the case of Western Queensland, it is the member for Pine Rivers,” Mrs Frecklington said.<\/p>\n

“Members on this side of the House who actually represent regional Queensland are not even invited and our communities know it.<\/p>\n

“In August last year I asked the Premier a question on notice about these regional forums.<\/p>\n

“I asked: Who was on each of these forums; what is the selection process; where are the minutes of the meetings; and are they transparent?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“This question has forced the Premier, kicking and screaming, to provide a little bit more information.<\/p>\n

“We now have the membership of those committees but we still have no details about meetings, no outcomes and we do not know what is being discussed.<\/p>\n

“We do not know what is being put forward on behalf of our regions. There are one paragraph summaries of what members heard about.<\/p>\n

“For example, the forum members heard from Ministers and senior government representatives; the forum members heard about regional achievements; the forum members learnt about the role of renewables in Queensland.<\/p>\n

“Hang on, I thought this was actually an opportunity for the government to hear from regional members across the region, not for the government to tell them how good the government is.<\/p>\n

“Apparently forum members are progressing various priorities identified from their respective forum action plans.<\/p>\n

“What are the priorities? What are the action plans? Are they representative of our broader communities? Are they representative of what our communities need, and that is an LNP government?<\/p>\n