THE LNP said Redlands and Cleveland residents turned out to a Waste Watch roundtable this week to ask the government to cut the red tape which is costing jobs in the areas.

LNP State MPs Peter Dowling and Mark Robinson hosted the forum with Shadow Waste Watch Minister Fiona Simpson and local business leaders to ask how they wanted Government reformed.

Ms Simpson said the business leaders were very frustrated because they not only want to see the local economy and jobs maintained, but they say more jobs need to be created. 

“The message was clear – Government waste under Labor isn’t just the big spending blowouts such as the health payroll debacle which cost $220 million more than it should – it’s about routine wasted processes and red tape. The LNP wants to fix that,” she said.

Courier Mail, 4 October 2011

WATER bosses who were in charge during the summer of floods have cashed in lucrative pay cheques and bonuses.

Senior executives received $723,000 in bonuses, some before the interim flood report came down, annual reports tabled in State Parliament revealed.

Salaries for seven of the state-owned authorities and the Queensland Water Commission totalled $9.75 million last financial year, with SEQ Water's chief executive Peter Borrows taking home $494,700.

He was closely followed by Queensland Urban Utilities chief executive Noel Faulkner on $459,000 and AllConnex's Kim Wood on $447,300.

Opposition Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman said the Government should explain why hefty bonuses were paid before the interim flood report was released on August 1.

LNP Shadow Minister for Emergency Services John-Paul Langbroek has slammed the Bligh Government for red tape which means 300 willing and able SES volunteers will have their training delayed until next year.

“Storm season is here and there are 300 people willing to give up their time to help in an emergency but because of red tape they can’t volunteer until 2012,” Mr Langbroek said.