Local Advocacy in Parliament - Speech

Mt Challenger Wind Farm; Proserpine Twilight Christmas Fair; Bruce Highway, Upgrades Hon. AJ CAMM (Whitsunday—LNP) (Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence) (9.37 pm):

Recently I met with over 130 residents at the Kelsey Creek Hall around their concerns and the formation of the Whitsunday Wind Farm Action Group. I want to pay tribute and give a shout-out to Alysha Lee, who has led the charge on behalf of the community.

I became aware, along with local community members, that the Mt Challenger Wind Farm, which originally had 30 wind turbines, was expanding to 49 wind turbines and a solar farm in the beautiful Kelsey Creek sugarcane growing area. I have now met with those community members.

I have also met with the Deputy Premier and I have expressed our community’s concerns around this wind farm development and in particular highlighted to the community the Crisafulli government’s commitment to engage the community as part of the assessment process and the community benefit system under the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation that we passed in this House.

I want to assure my community that I represent their views and have real concerns that this is not in the interests of our community and I will continue to stand up for them. I want to say thank you to the 380 participants in my Have Your Say survey and recognise we have had almost 4,000 sign a petition which I look forward to receiving in this House.

I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank every small business in the town of Proserpine, my home town, which will participate in the Proserpine Twilight Christmas Fair on Main Street. From 5 pm to 8 pm there will be over 40 stallholders, businesses will open, there will be performances by the Proserpine State School Choir, the Proserpine Citizens Band and Edge Dance. There will be face painting and kids’ activities. It really is an event for the entire family. I want to thank all of the volunteers, particularly from my office, as well as from the Whitsunday Regional Council and the Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry and all who contributed sponsorship to make the event a fantastic community owned event. I look forward to supporting it each and every year from here on in.

Recently in Mackay we hosted the Brisbane Highway Advisory Council for the Greater Whitsunday region. I was very pleased that the transport minister announced Bruce Highway safety upgrades for my electorate, with pavement strengthening south of Glendaragh Road on the access north of Mackay as well as on Marian Hampden Road to Hudsons Road. Those projects combined are $12.5 million worth of upgrades. The Hamilton Plains immunity project has commenced. I look forward to further announcements on the Goorganga Plains overtaking lanes in 2026.