POLITICIANS representing the gasfield electorates believe the Bligh Government's plan to channel half of royalties earned from the State's coal seam gas industry into an educational trust fund ignores the immediate infrastructure and social costs on impacted regions.
With Queensland set to head to the polls in the coming months, Premier Anna Bligh has unveiled a pre-election "mines for minds" plan to place 50 percent of royalty fees garnered from the State's controversial liquefied natural gas industry into a future education trust fund, in a move she likened to superannuation.
Under one option being considered, the government would create individual trust funds for Queenslanders born after July 1 next year, making a nest egg of between $7800 and $9500 available for educational, skills and training expenses after they turn 18. Feedback on the education trust proposal is due by February 17, with the document available at www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au
Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman immediately branded the scheme a "desperate political thought bubble".
QCL
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