Councillors angry at QGC

LIQUEFIED natural gas companies will need a ‘social licence' to operate in the Gladstone region.

Councillors have ‘spat the dummy' about the impacts the liquefied natural gas industry is having on the region since the Queensland Gas Company (QGC) announced their final investment decision for the Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG) project.

The council unanimously agreed to organise a public meeting for residents to voice their concerns and issues, inviting the LNG companies to attend.

Complaints from councillors included rents in the region increasing from $75 to $100 per week, land prices in one estate rising $50,000 in one week after the announcement, the visible increase in heavy vehicle numbers on the region's roads, the lack of planning by Queensland Health to deal with the increase in population, the LNG companies' ability to pay more for their required emergency medical staff, and the lack of funding from LNG companies given to council to date for social infrastructure projects.

Cr Maxine Brushe said the only contributor to social infrastructure to date was the council.

“It has been just five weeks since the Final Investment Decision for just one of these plants, QCLNG, and already the community is being left to cope on its own,” she said.

“Our ratepayers should not be paying the bill for industry impacts.

“There are many who are being trampled in the LNG stampede, and to date the only level of government putting there hand up to try to mitigate some of the impacts is local government... where are the promised LNG dollars?

“How long are we expected to wait for them? Our need is now.”