As reported in the local Bundaberg News-Mail Newspaper, Labor Senator John Hogg has accused the new Coalition government of cancelling more than $500,000 in funding for a new taxiway at the Bundaberg Airport.
Senator Hogg said Bundaberg Regional Council was allocated $515,194 funding toward the cost of the project by the previous Labor government. "Now Tony Abbott and Nationals Leader Warren Truss have decided to cancel all projects unless contracts allowing them to proceed are already in place," he said.
But new Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said the Government was not obliged to meet Labor's election promises.
Senator Hogg said the project would have provided a new taxiway at the airport to link established apron with runway to better facilitate aircraft movements/queuing and generate improvements in safety and efficiency to best cater for growth currently being experienced and forecasted in the future.
But Mr Pitt said he did not remember Labor making this commitment before the election.
"We're not in a position where we will be implementing any Labor commitments," he said.
"From what I've seen this project was not contracted."
Senator Hogg said Mr Truss had been quoted as saying the Coalition government would treat non- contracted Labor announcements as election promises that did not bind an alternative government to them.
"The decision comes despite Mr Abbott's pre-election assurances of no-surprises and no cuts that would cost jobs," Senator Hogg said.
Meanwhile, The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is investigating the shooting of a kangaroo at Bundaberg Airport.
The male kangaroo, which had become trapped in the airport grounds, was shot under the direction of Bundaberg Regional Council recently. Councillor Greg Barnes is adamant that staff did the right thing and had no other option than to kill the animal.
Investigations are continuing.
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