The LNP has announced a plan to reopen the Cape York Biosecurity Centre if it wins government on 26 October, however, the facility has been returned to the Southern Kaantju Traditional Owners and the former inspection shed demolished. Photo: Supplied.
The Liberal National Party (LNP) says it will reopen the Cape York Biosecurity Centre at Coen if it wins the state election on 26 October, but it has not indicated how it will overcome the main obstacle in the plan – the facility no longer being under government control.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli flagged the centre’s reopening as part of a $50 million election commitment to biosecurity at the Rural Press Club in Brisbane on 5 September, saying it was imperative the state’s northern line of biosecurity defence returned to operational status.
“The LNP will beef up our biosecurity frontline to protect crops and livestock from the threats facing the future of agriculture in Queensland,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Labor has created vulnerability in our northern line of defence by closing the Cape York Biosecurity Centre.”
The State Government closed the Cape York Biosecurity Centre in mid-2023 despite overwhelming industry criticism and handed the keys back to the Southern Kaantju Traditional Owners, with the land the facility sits on located in the middle of a native title claim.
The vehicle inspection shed that once stood at the front of the facility adjacent to the Peninsula Developmental Road was demolished and removed earlier this year, and the LNP has not indicated how it intended to reclaim the facility, or what the cost of doing so and constructing new infrastructure at the site would be.
In addition to reopening the Cape York facility, the four-year LNP plan will add 100 biosecurity officers to hotspots across the state.
One Cape York primary producer, who asked not to be named, told Cape York Weekly they had “zero bloody faith” in either major party’s biosecurity credentials.
“Labor didn’t listen when we were screaming out for them not to shut Coen the other year and just handed the place back to the local mob,” they said angrily.
“Now the LNP’s saying it’s going to reopen it – how are they bloody well going to do that when the government doesn’t have it anymore and the main part of the centre’s been pulled down and taken away?”
Shadow Minister for Agriculture Tony Perrett said biosecurity safeguards had crumbled in Queensland.
“Our biosecurity should not take a backseat because of Labor’s billions in budget blowouts in south-east Queensland leaving nothing for rural and regional biosecurity,” he said.
“That’s why the LNP will review the closure of the Cape York Biosecurity Facility and move to reinstate our northern line of biosecurity defence.”
