Townsville residents urged to “Blow the Whistle” on Government Waste and Red Tape

The State Opposition urged Townsville residents anxious about the rising cost of living to have their say about cutting government waste and red tape today.

The LNP Waste Watch Shadow Minister Fiona Simpson and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Queensland Rosemary Menkens joined with LNP Candidates for Townsville, Mundingburra and Thuringowa to invite residents and business owners to share their concerns at a round table discussion today.

Ms Simpson said the high cost of compliance and government red tape was making it increasingly more difficult to do business in Queensland.

A Chamber of Commerce and Industry report into the spiralling cost of government imposts has found that the State Government has increased the cost of red tape by 6.6 per cent in the current financial year, with the overall burden growing 31.6% since a Productivity Commission Report in 2007.

"Where Queensland used to be the leading State for economic activity and low cost of living, we are now the most highly regulated state in Australia with over 90,000 pages of regulations for businesses," Ms Simpson said.

"Many of our local businesses are doing it tough, and State Government red tape and waste is adding extra costs and burdens to business owners," John Hathaway said.

"The ramshackle Bligh government has repeatedly failed to listen to small and medium businesses in the regions - and they're choking on red tape and paperwork," David Crisafulli said.

"Business owners in the North have been struggling through a tough year - and the future is looking bleak with a growing fear over electricity hikes due to the carbon tax," Sam Cox said.

“Due to Labor's economic idiocy presided over by Australia’s worst treasurer Andrew Fraser, this 20 year old administration has not only racked up $85 billion in debt, with an interest bill of $595,000 an hour, but has also lost Queensland’s AAA credit rating,” Ms Simpson said.

“The LNP Waste Watch website www.stoplaborwaste.com and our state-wide forums are giving Queenslanders an opportunity to give their feedback on how red tape and waste is affecting their local community and what changes they want to see from the Government.

"As part of Campbell Newman's LNP team, we are committed to cutting waste and lowering the cost of living."