• 150 jobs to go from North Stradbroke Island sand mine

• Palaszczuk and Labor break promise to create jobs by axing them

• Labor’s decision to shut mine down early faces strong opposition from local businesses and community

The Palaszczuk Government has forced through laws to end sand mining on North Stradbroke Island, cutting hundreds of jobs, creating an uncertain future for the local community and damaging Queensland’s reputation as a resources sector leader.

Shadow Mines Minister Andrew Cripps said Labor’s laws to shut down sand mining on North Stradbroke Island by 2019 would throw the local community into further turmoil and broke an election promise to create jobs in Queensland, not axe them.

“This asleep-at-the-wheel Labor government has sold out Straddie locals by completely caving in to pressure from green activist groups that don’t represent the views of the overwhelming majority of local people on North Stradbroke Island,” Mr Cripps said.

“North Stradbroke Island businesses, the Straddie Chamber of Commerce, the local community and a large number of traditional owners have condemned Labor’s so-called Economic Transition Strategy as completely inadequate to replace the hundreds of jobs that will be lost.

“The LNP Opposition remains firmly of the view that a 2035 closure date is the most sensible timeframe for the end of sand mining on North Stradbroke Island, providing for an orderly transition for the local economy and employees.

“The former LNP Government’s 2013 legislation allowed a reasonable timeframe for the local economy to transition to other industries, such as tourism, and Labor hasn’t presented any convincing arguments that this new timeframe allows for that transition to occur.

“Sand mining is the cornerstone of the North Stradbroke Island economy – it provides hundreds of direct and indirect jobs and supports the livelihoods of many families that live there and many businesses that have invested there.

“The Palaszczuk Government has moved to end sand mining by 2019, which will take these jobs away, despite the fact that the Australian Workers Union has protested loudly and vigorously against Labor’s policy, which impacts directly on its members.”

Mr Cripps said Labor’s shut down of sand mining on North Stradbroke Island was the latest in a series of controversial interventions in the resources sector that was undermining confidence in the industry and jeopardising future investment.

“Labor’s record on the resources sector in Queensland over the last 15 months is appalling and confidence from resource companies has plunged to a near five-year low,” he said.

Palaszczuk and Labor have created a clear question mark over sovereign risk for resource companies wanting to invest in our great state.”