JEREMY JONES [HOST]: Well, it's been in the works for a while, but the official opening of Auckland Hill Lookout is happening today. Anthony Chisholm is the Assistant Minister for Regional Development and the Senator for Queensland. He'll be at the event today also to chat about the Urgent Care Clinic proposed for the city. Senator, thanks for your time this morning. We'll start with the Urgent Care Clinic. The tender process has started. What does this look like?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM [ASSISTANT MINISTER]: Yeah, so that's been announced by the Government today that that tender process has started. We are hopeful that will move quickly and that we'll see an Urgent Care Clinic opened in Gladstone by mid next year. And what we know from those that are operating around the state already, particularly in regional areas, they're taking pressure off the hospital, which is important, and they're providing a service for families seven days a week, extended hours at the same time. So they've been a great addition to the health network, and one that I'm sure will be warmly welcomed in Gladstone.

JEREMY JONES: And we're hearing at the moment your businesses are very busy. Are you confident that you'll have people put in for the tender?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: We are, and as we know, we've got 16 operating across Queensland already, and many of those are in regional areas. So we know that this is a model that does work, and the Government are there, obviously, to support this being set up, and going through the tender process will be the Primary Health Network. We're confident it'll be a great investment and a successful outcome here in Gladstone that'll make a difference for the local community.

JEREMY JONES: We've been hearing this morning the Treasury is recommending some red tape be cut in the building industry. How would that impact the rollout of these clinics? Ten in all across the state are being planned to open, 26 all up.

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Well, I can speak from experience from ones that I've observed being opened in other parts of the state, and I've been pleasantly surprised about how quickly it's gone from tender to operational. And obviously, it depends on whether it's an existing operation or whether they go for somewhere new, but even then, the fit out in these new places has been quick. A lot of the people who are tendering for these are experienced operators and can move in and get things operating really quickly. So, as I said, it's a pretty tight timeline. Tender's open to be– to have a clinic open by 30 June next year, but I'm confident that we'll meet it based on the experience that I've seen in other parts of the state.

JEREMY JONES: You're hearing from Anthony Chisholm, Assistant Minister for Regional Development, and you're in Gladstone today for the Auckland Hill Lookout opening. Can you tell us what you're up to today?

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Yeah, so in Gladstone for the day and helping to open the Auckland Hill Lookout. And as someone who's been visiting Gladstone for 20-plus years, I've been to that lookout numerous occasions. And every time I bring someone new to town, it's always the first place you take them. But there's no doubt that over the last 20 years, it hasn't been as up to date as it could be. And as I've progressively come, you've seen the services degrade as a result, and the cafe close and so forth. So there's no doubt that it needed a spruce up. This has been a few years in the works, but I'm looking forward to get up there today and seeing the finished product and know that it's going to be a great tourism boon for the local area. And I look forward to when I'm back in town, bringing new visitors with me, because you just get such a great outlook of Gladstone. But you also, I think, receive an education about what makes this state tick, and you see that being exported through the port there, which is obviously a significant economic driver of the state and the country at the same time.

JEREMY JONES: You certainly do. You’re right, it is a remarkable view. There are so many stunning views in Queensland of beautiful nature, but you really get view of industry in a way that unless you see it, you can't fully grasp in just looking at a spot, I feel.

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: No, it's very true. And as I said, I've been fortunate enough to visit it very regularly over the last 20-plus years, and it's a great place to take people for the first time because you do get that view, but you also see the coal being exported. You've seen the gas hubs develop at the same time. You see people going out on fishing charters. You see people who might have the day off heading out to have a recreational fish at the same time. So I think you get a sense of what makes Gladstone and the region important, but also what a great asset it is from a recreational point of view at the same time, so I think it’s fantastic. And educating people around the importance of these export industries that we have from Gladstone is really important as well, so it just does such a lot for the local community. And I’m really pleased that it’s been an investment by the Federal Government and also the port corporation at the same time to see this come to reality, which is great.

JEREMY JONES: Well, Senator Anthony Chisholm, thanks for your time this morning.

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: No worries, good to be with you and your listeners.

ENDS