Premier indicates support for Whitsunday tourism attraction

THE Premier has dodged an MP’s call for a commitment to green-light a major Whitsunday tourism attraction by July 30 but she has expressed support for the project.

Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan asked Annastacia Palaszczuk whether she would commit to grant all necessary approvals to facilitate the development of the Whitsunday Skyway by July 30.

The proposed cable-car project would link the main street of Airlie Beach with a nearby unnamed 430-metre-high peak in the Conway Ranges.

Responding to Mr Costigan’s question on notice in Queensland Parliament, Ms Palaszczuk said the group had recently submitted the proposal application for assessment.

“For this new infrastructure development proposal, the assessment process will confirm and progress several matters, including approvals required,” she said.

“I am advised that the development may also require Federal Government approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.”

Ms Palaszczuk did not address the Whitsunday MP’s call for a commitment by July 30.

But Dawson MP George Christensen has questioned why the Premier mentioned the Federal Government approval at all.

“I think it’s very rich for the State Government to suggest the project may be held up by the Federal Government when, for probably the past year, the project has stalled because the state environment department’s attitude has been if an application on the project would be presented they would immediately stamp it with a ‘no’,” Mr Christensen said.

“Obviously there’s been a breakthrough because … the state environment department’s view has been that national parks are not right for tourism developments.”