The Honourable Stephen Robertson
27/03/2011
ROBERTSON ANNOUNCES THAT HE WILL RETIRE AT NEXT ELECTION
27 March 2011
Long serving Minister, Stephen Robertson, has today announced that he will not contest the next state election.
"Given that the ALP has opened nominations for the next election, it is appropriate that I make my intentions clear so that the party can select the best candidate to run the strongest possible campaign in my electorate of Stretton, on Brisbane's outer southside,'' Mr Robertson said.
Stephen Robertson was first elected to the Queensland Parliament in 1992. He was appointed to Cabinet in 1999 as Minister for Emergency Services.
Following the 2001, election he was appointed Minister for Natural Resources and Mines and had Energy added to his responsibilities after the 2004 election.
In 2005, he was appointed Minister for Health at a critical time following the Bundaberg Hospital Commission of Inquiry. He served in that role for nearly 4 years.
Following the 2009 election he returned to his old stomping grounds of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy with Trade added to his responsibilities.
In the recent cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed Minister for Energy and Water Utilities.
Never one to shy away from tackling difficult issues, Mr Robertson has taken on some of the most challenging policy issues facing Queensland. (see list below)
Mr Robertson said that after almost 20 years in parliament and over 11 years in Cabinet, it was time to move on.
"I have been enormously privileged to have served my party, my electorate and my state over such a lengthy period of time. It is rare for a politician to have been allowed to serve at such senior levels and to depart of his own choosing," he said.
"Looking back, one of my proudest moments was to be the first politician in Australia to have spoken out against the racist outbursts of Pauline Hanson following her maiden speech to the Federal parliament. Representing a multicultural electorate as I do, I knew the hurt and offence that so many of my constituents would have immediately felt.
"While many sat back and equivocated, I knew I had to immediately make a principled and vocal stand, against what she was saying. This was not the Australia that I believed in".
Mr Robertson, who was born in Scotland, intends to take a break after the next election by travelling back to his birthplace for the first time with his wife Caz.
"My late father Bill, who was responsible for my interest in the union movement and politics, always encouraged me to one day go back to Scotland and "go for a walk" and that's exactly what I intend to do.
"Until then, I will be doing what I have always done and that is working flat out for the re-election of the Labor government, serving Queensland to the best of my ability and delivering policies and initiatives that will contribute to making this state an even better place to live".
Minister Stephen Robertson's Major Achievements
Broadscale Tree Clearing - Introduced laws to end broadscale tree clearing in Queensland thereby reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emission to a level that allowed the former Howard Government to claim Australia had met the reduction targets required of it under the then Kyoto Protocol.
Health - Responsible for rolling out the $7 billion Queensland Health Action Plan - the largest ever investment in Queensland's health system resulting in significant improvements in health services throughout the state including increases in clinical staff, hospital beds, improvements to patient safety and Australia's most transparent reporting of health system performance.
Electricity - Responsible for establishing the independent review into Queensland's electricity distribution system in 2004 resulting in more reliable and secure network through a significant increase in capital investment.
CSG-LNG Industry - Introduced Australia's first ever laws to encourage the development of the coal seam gas industry. Subsequently devised and introduced land access laws and compensation templates to provide a balance between the interests of resource companies and the rights of landowners. Banned the use of the controversial B-Tex fraccing chemicals.
Wild Rivers - Ensured the protection of some of Australia's and the world's most pristine environments through Queensland's unique Wild Rivers legislation and subsequent declarations of wild rivers in Cape York, the Gulf and Fraser Island.
Water Resource Planning - Has overseen the introduction of Water Resource Plans throughout Queensland that have provided secure and sustainable water allocations to communities, the agricultural industry and other water users whilst guaranteeing sufficient water for environmental purposes.
Water Reforms - Has ensured long term high quality, reliable water supplies for the entire region through the development of the SEQ Water Strategy.
Solar - Developed the highly successful solar hot water scheme and oversaw the roll out of the very popular solar bonus schemes. More than 12,000 Queenslanders have signed up to install solar hot water systems in less than 12 months.
Mining - Introduced laws that streamlined approval processes to encourage more exploration. Qld also has one of the best mining safety records in the world as a result of legislation introduced by Robertson in the early part of the last decade.
Native Title - Was responsible for the introduction of Cultural Heritage legislation and a state-wide Indigenous Land Use Agreement that allowed for ongoing access by explorers to land whilst ensuring the protection of indigenous cultural heritage and fair compensation.
Valuations Reform - Introduced the new, fairer
site valuation method as used by most other Australian states. The old valuation system was introduced over 70 years ago. The Site valuation system will commence this year and will require a revaluation of every urban property across the state.
