COMMITTED AND DETERMINED

Senator for Queensland, Susan McDonald is ready to continue her focus on mining, agriculture and regional Australia after being elevated to Shadow Minister for Northern Australia and Resources.

Senator McDonald, originally from the minerals-rich Cloncurry district, joined the Senate in 2019 and last year served as Special Envoy for Northern Australia in the Morrison Government.

She said she was ecstatic to be able to continue focusing on Northern Australia after helping then Minister David Littleproud revamp the portfolio.

She added that her experience as chief of staff to former Queensland Natural Resources and Mines Minister, Andrew Cripps, in the LNP State Government, meant she had a solid understanding of the industry.

“It’s an incredible honour being named Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, and I’m ready to ensure this Labor Government treats these two crucial portfolios as a top priority,” she said.

“We cannot let all the good work done on these areas under the previous Government go to waste.

“My goals will be to ensure Labor honours the commitments we made to help miners find resources and bring them to market, as well as continuing to invest in roads, telecommunications and primary industries in Northern Australia.

“This region and the resources sector underpin our economy and pay for the hospitals, schools, infrastructure and defence our nation depends on.

“There will be a lot of work to do because Labor and the Greens have shown a distinct lack of interest in regional Australia.

“Under their radical emissions plans, they will also be seeking to scale back mining, live export and water infrastructure which will cripple our biggest wealth-producing industries.

“I look forward to taking the fight right up to them, because what we do in the North and what we dig out of the ground truly matters.”