Costigan plan for coal mine

WHITSUNDAYS MP Jason Costigan has launched an audacious bid to fire up Collinsville.

The NQ First Party leader will today announce a plan to inject $400 million into a project to refire the Collinsville coal mine. The funding will be part of his $1 billion Powering the North project.

Mr Costigan said it was the injection that the people of North Queensland needed to put cash back in their pockets. He rejected any need for a feasibility study into the project before making the promise alongside Burdekin candidate Carolyn Moriarty.

“We are not pussyfooting around here, I don’t need a feasibility study to tell me it works,” Mr Costigan said.

“The Liberals have an infatuation with feasibility studies, go and explain that to the barflies in the Workers Club at Collinsville. They will tell you to stick the feasibility study up your Jatz cracker.

“If you have got a farm or a factory, a foundry or a family, this initiative will help you.”

The Collinsville coal mine revitalising is the first project Mr Costigan has announced as part of his plan. He has promised further announcements in coming weeks.

Mr Costigan said his $1 billion project would be entirely funded by mining royalties as part of his $6 billion Real Royalties for the Regions program.

The projects can only go ahead if Mr Costigan’s NQ First party is able to secure the balance of power in the Queensland Parliament at the upcoming state election.

Mr Costigan will need to secure a number of seats to ensure major parties must work with NQ First to secure the vote in parliament. This will give his party more bargaining power to get policies over the line.

The NQ First party has so far named three candidates for the election, including Cook, Burdekin and Whitsundays.