Having survived the Premier’s ‘shake up’ of her cabinet with his responsibilities intact, State Development Natural Resources and Mines Minister Anthony Lynham has been urged to ‘shake off’ the interference of Deputy Premier Jackie Trad in his portfolio.

Shadow Minister for State Development, Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said it was time for Minister Lynham to wrestle control of issues in his portfolio away from Labor’s left faction, led by Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, to boost industry confidence.

“Minister Lynham needs to start with the assessment of New Hope’s Acland Stage 3 Coal Project, which was stalled by a politically motivated intervention by the Palaszczuk Government, following demands from extreme green activist groups,” Mr Cripps said.

“Late last week, the Crime and Corruption Commission dismissed a complaint by the Lock the Gate Alliance and will not investigate the approval of the Acland Stage 3 Coal Project, citing a lack of evidence, so Minister Lynham needs to get it back on track.

Mr Cripps said Minister Lynham needed to act decisively to take back the initiative from the left faction and green activists influencing the Palaszczuk Government’s policies in his portfolio, to encourage Queensland’s resources and agriculture sectors.

“Minister Lynham also needs to reassert his authority over the administration of Queensland’s vegetation management framework, after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk recently caved in to pressure from green groups and handed responsibility to the Deputy Premier,” he said.

“The agriculture sector is angry that Minister Lynham’s commitments to consult, and act only after a community roundtable had handed down a report, have been broken – the roundtable has only met once and has not produced a report.”

Mr Cripps said the fact Minister Lynham had survived Labor’s cabinet reshuffle meant he needed to ensure the important job-creating, economic development portfolios under his control are put to work and no longer captured by the left faction and green activists.

“The longer the Palaszczuk Government is run by union bosses and the extreme greens, the longer Queensland will be held back,” he sai

“Only the LNP has a Real Economic Plan to create jobs, boost confidence and unleash Queensland’s true potential.”