FULL SHOW 1st MAY 2026

0:00Good morning and welcome to Rural Queensland today on the Resonate Broadcast Network Ben Doblin with you this morning and a huge huge show the first of May and Would you believe it today is day eight? for right west so for eight days they've ridden from Brisbane and They will arrive in long reach this evening just a huge huge lift and a wonderful wonderful organization Sponsored by McCulloch Robinson Lawyers as the major sponsor of a ride west 2026 This has been raising unbelievable funds for Rural flying doctor service and supporting mental health programs across Rural and regional Queensland well done to everybody who has Been a part of this. This has been a huge huge huge lift and a commitment and a lot of blood a lot of sweat a lot of tears raising money with the

1:03Reflying doctors, but to go from Brisbane all the way out to and I mean it all the way out to Long reach where they arrived tonight is something very special Well done to everybody involved well done to everybody and I'm sure most people throughout that part of Queensland have been present Why this is taking place and you've seen them? Just an awesome awesome story ride west once again doing wonderful things and well done to the sponsors and raising money for Rural flying doctor service a very good morning to everybody listening to us through 4s Being Kinga Roy for Zadar and Roma 4vL in Charleville 4h Iron Emerald 4LM Mount Isah 4LG Longreach 4GC Charters Towers in the hot country network. Good morning to you Bendoblin with you this morning First of May, can you believe it the first of my tree of knowledge that festival this weekend? It's awesome in barcaldon Mayday is Obviously Monday, which is a public holiday. We won't be here on Monday, but we'll be back on Tuesday

2:06Look a lot to get through this morning Senator Susan McDonald will join us Maddie Beard from RVV Rural will join us as well There is a lot to get through this morning on this big show It's rural Queensland today You're with Bendoblin and it is the first of May across the Resonate Broadcast Network. Good morning Well, welcome back to Rural Queensland today twice in a week We are blessed here at Rural Queensland today. We're back to normal programming on a Friday morning It is the first of May. Can you believe that we are in to May? Senator Susan McDonald joining us this morning. Hello, Senator. Good morning. How are you? Good morning, Ben. Well, I'm great and I think that You know, this is the world crisis that we're in Australia is managing. There's still headwinds coming but you know, I'm I think the world continues to turn and Australians continue to be Trying to make as many preparations as they can to

3:06Look through the continued clothes of the states of the Moors What that means for tourism businesses? Yeah down about 40% in bookings about farmers who out of four diesel and fertiliser to see dairy cattle and still make a profit You know, there's some really foods in Australia, but you know every day we're getting up and we're having another go I like it And I've seen some improvement in the fuel price. I want to get to the true and trough first But I I'm concerned by and I say this that we've got a labor government and we've got a treasurer now that's You know negative going to get stuck in a negative gearing There's no incentive to to invest Anybody that's had a crack and had a go is getting punished and You want to talk about doomsday you just were positive you feel like things are improving

4:07Well Jim charmers the treasurer are all he is doing is talking doom and gloom and Massive crisis and recession and talking it down that is not what Drives economy. It just does not drive economy that negative talk Like he's the pied piper that can get us out of this. Well, they've proven that they can't now Yes, there's world there's world dramas going on at the moment and yes We are affected by that, but let's just make sure that we understand manufacturing here in this country And and obviously industry in this country is priority. I've never wanted that. They do not want that They like the labor party that what was or was and they'll have the tree of knowledge festival this week ending Buck olden and they'll talk about how wonderful it is But that's not the party that leads this country now. It's far from it. It's not even remotely the same ideologies Well, that is exactly right. I mean Labor under Albanese and charmers is a is a party that

5:09Just you know taxes just something they haven't yet had an opportunity to put on to you They do not understand what it's like to grow something to take a risk to grow business to go into regional Australia to develop Oil and gas fields to build a bakery to To take a risk and buy another house and and then rent it out to somebody who doesn't have that opportunity yet That's that's what Building things growing things. That's what Australia is. We have always been a country of people gone I'm going to get up and have a go But instead Labor is all about changing the goalpost Chasing the rule and taxing the crackers out of you Yeah, what's nice how you develop and you grow things and you make Australia A bigger better place particularly Country that should be the energy powerhouse of the world. Absolutely. We have got it all here But what have we got to do we've got to get out of the way we go have less subjective decision-making from departments

6:12We have to a proof project far Return Australia to having the energy security and sovereignty that we used to have Return Australia to be the sort of place where All businesses thrive where young people can get on the apprenticeship Get stuck in make something of their own lives A country that can stop bringing in migrants who don't add to the national account, you know People who want to work not people who want to be on the dole That's the sort of country we need to be really focused on Causing about and making sure that our government is driving in that direction, but Labor is not I just I don't understand how they don't understand you can't Act an economy to prosperity They will absolutely kill what has been a very successful country over the last 200 years Do you believe that there will be um

7:13There will be a pushback because of this I feel like they've got it so horribly wrong um This time round and are you concerned about The pushback that could come from these kind of new laws and legislation He's been muting it for a while that it's going to happen They're going to go that way Well, I can guarantee that what happens when you start Changing the rules you start imposing extra taxes What happens is that Australia People start selling property That would otherwise be available uh to to you know people to rent to to see more To see more homes being occupied. We know it because in Queensland When under Palacay They introduce those kind of additional taxes on rental properties and homes Uh 30% of the rental market left in Townsville

8:14That made it go harder and more expensive to rent a house This is the practical realities of when you change the rules in Victoria The property market there you're seeing less houses available for rental because they try to tax their way to more houses No, no build more houses Up down on immigration That's how you get more property available for rentals and how you get young people Into houses that they can afford But I think this is a real a real problem for Labor that they have not they do not understand the impact Of more taxes on a society who will just they will break they will just keep Taxing us out of existence Uh, and jobs go and what's left government jobs well government jobs are well paid and great But they don't grow the night. They don't grow the country. Yeah. Hey Senator stay with us We're with Susan McDonald this morning rural Queensland today. Welcome back rural Queensland today on the resonate broadcast network Maddie Beatle be joining us shortly

9:14Senator Susan McDonald our guest this morning on rural Queensland today senator to room trough you've been around Everywhere over the last couple of days, but I want to talk about how important this is For this nation that we get this right There there's a lot of different understanding, but your commitment You know announced yesterday making the to room trough a project of national significance And and obviously increasing fuel storage requirements Is that and and and that is a huge announcement, but do the Labor government feel the same way do you think Well, so two things on that been the first thing is as yesterday Angus Taylor later of the coalition was in Queensland We went out to the Litton refinery run by ampol and talked about what fuel supplies what crude oil supplies look like Into the future and what opportunity is drainage has to once again be self-sufficient It's only about 20 years ago

10:15That Australia still supplied over 90% of the crude oil required to make petrol and diesel in this country We can return to that we have these extraordinary reserves and the to room trough In the threat basin is is a wonderful example of that. There are real rigs out there now. There are Drillers and and geologists and all the support crews out there Using new technology new bit technology and putting down these deep wells To access the crude oil the Australian crude oil that is there right now What do we do about it? Well, we have to fast pack approval We cannot allow to be 15 years between the identification of the reserve and production the way it is In Australia for a moment at the moment We have to be really fast and agile and prioritise Australia's national interests

11:16And yesterday Angus and I announced that that is exactly what we would do in government Which could be the election could be as early as August of next year In government we would make sure that the to room trough the approval We're not bogged down in red tape and bureaucracy We properly assess it we do it fast and we get Australian oil out of the ground And being processed into diesel in places like listen and hopefully a new diesel refinery if we can get one up And we make sure that Australia is securing its own supplies again Right that is the first thing But what has Labor done? Well since they've been in government about four years They have introduced a new tax on our refinery On our coal mines on our oil and gas facility They have changed the environmental protection laws To say you cannot fast pack oil gas or coal projects

12:18They have funded the environmental defenders office Who fight campaigns against approvals government approvals And then when those sort of organisations have got blind grants donations From somebody unseen to pay off their penalty for having lied and infected evidence against the Barossa project They don't ask any questions and instead they just keep funding them So be clear The Environment Minister Murray what and the government will say no no we want to see Australia's best interest happen We want to support Australian jobs But that can't be true You can't say that If what you're actually doing is introducing taxes Talk you about more renewables and batteries on prime agricultural land And not fast pack approval for fossil fuels and other projects here in Australia

13:19I just I just the two completely different things So it's such a Coalition at past pack we would get on we will get Australia back to being energy secure We will never be in the situation that we are again today And like the decision we made to fund Perteman Ben Yep have Australian fertiliser made here We'll do the same with fuel Can I ask you this and I'm and I'm being serious about this We talk about it and I don't know why we've ever gone away from it But is it realistic that that it will happen again? Look is it the only way we survive Is it we start you know becoming Our self-sufficient here in this country in this area And have we because of what's happened around the world And the green ideologies and the way we've gone and they're pushed for renewables Has that fast tracked in the in your eyes the belief system that we need to get this underway now So we never have to go through this again Ah absolutely and the reason I know that's true

14:23Is that following both world war one and world war two Australia doubled down on our capacity to to mine and to smell and to refine here in Australia Well, we had both big industry and government All holding hands and making sure that Australia's domestic capacity Um, whether it was to Smelt aluminium and aluminum copper whether it was to be able to fit to build Of fighter planes right here in Australia because we knew it was important That whatever the world brought to us that we were able to defend our cells To feed our cells and to fuel our cells These are three really important things for any nation What labor has done in a very short space of time is to completely Reverse the boat on that to to turn away from self-proficiency

15:23And to turn towards technology like green hydrogen And like renewables that is not yet developed enough that Australia could be secure We've got to keep doing what we know works yeah until anything else is it is a genuine and real opportunity So 100% Ben this is our priority right now fertilize the production diesel production making sure that Australia can Pay its own bills using a wonderful abundant natural resources Do what we're good at Focus on Australian jobs Australian housing Australian everything Um, get our energy cost down get our full businesses back in the black and then Then we can return to being the prosperous First world country that we have been for so long We should be incredibly proud of the nation that we've built But that means hard work that means stopping governments taxing us into oblivion

16:24And it means they have to stop supporting and funding Organizations that do not have Australia's best interests at heart and by that I'm clearly putting my finger At at people who do not disclose where their funding comes from Like the environmental defenders offers Like the Australia Institute like the Institute for Energy Economics And analysis These are all organizations that will not disclose where their money comes from I hear it's from dark money overseas and they do The generous coming from everywhere they they certainly don't they certainly don't Appreciate your time. Thank you so much for being with us As usual on a Friday. We're very lucky To have you as part of the show We'll catch up with you again. Hopefully and Mayday I mean everything shuts what what I would so quickly Senator and this this annoys me more than anything We've got a public holiday for Mayday And literally nothing is open but on ends that day after one o'clock everything opens

17:28I mean How like it makes zero sense to me Zero sense and I don't care what anybody says if there's going to be a day where everything shuts down in this country It's not it's not to me Christmas. It's not Easter It's ends that day yet. We open everything back up and that's fine But don't close everything down on on on a Monday Because of Mayday that to me you're taking the piss And I understand that you know, it's political thing, but gee whiz it reeks in my opinion 100% couldn't agree more than I think that Anzac Day is our most sacred day That's the service and thanks that we give to people who have defended our shores and made sure that we are the safe prosperous country that we have been We should fight hard for that and I've been I've been picken by the the political discussion about Welcome to country and and whether it should or shouldn't be held on Anzac Day In Townsville, there was no wealth in the country for Anzac Day

18:29We are a garrison city. We focussed on absolutely I launched about this year ago I launched about the ABC riding online Around this the other day that that's what they took out of what was a wonderful ceremony that there wasn't a welcome to country Well, I mean seriously taxpayer funded money online Um, and she went after it and wrote that that was the take out of what was a Magnificent I'm sorry Fails that fails the pub test every single day Appreciate your time. We'll catch you again next week. Thanks so much for being with us Thanks a lot then Senator Susan McDonnell joining us this morning. This is rural Queensland today. It's the first of May Welcome back to rural Queensland today. Well, let's look at a bit of news going around at this moment Ellen Ransley from the courier mail has written this article, but The government have got a bit of trouble on their hand around this Olympic stadium We know the dramas in Rockhampton And the rowing situation and we've seen that for some time

19:31But First nation groups are now fighting to stop the new Victoria Park Stadium on what they believe is sacred resting ground You know indigenous groups have lodged six situ six cultural heritage applications claiming Brisbane's Plandal Olympic Stadium site A Victoria Park sacred land used for ancestral burials and sorry business Now the crowd the save Victoria Park rally Indigenous groups have claimed they plan Victoria Park Stadium should not be built because the area is used for sorry business and arresting ground for ancestors New details about cultural heritage claims on this side of emerged And federal environmental minister Murray what received at least six applications under the cultural heritage protection laws Is exact words were Because he won't come on this show and he used to everybody won't we are working on our way through those applications at the moment

20:36Three notices of applications are published today's courier mail and the Queensland is given four weeks to make representations In In one application The Jaggera Jaggera and terrible first nations first and claim the development poses an immediate and serious threat to the site profound cultural and spiritual ancestral significance to first nations people They said the site of the baraben is of profound cultural and spiritual ancestral importance to them and their family So the application claims that the site investigation had commenced which risk irreversible damage to the last remaining cultural significant area in Brisbane We're indigenous communities maintaining a connection to their traditional homelands If the development proceeds The baraben will permanently be destroyed eliminating any possibility for cultural healing or reconciliation I don't want it in any way take this away from

21:39These people But are you serious? Why is this just come up now since they're going to build a stadium there Vicki Park it was a golf course You didn't have a problem with anybody going on the golf course Now this has been submitted to the Queensland government Which the 63th stadium and aquatic center and associate infrastructure Could be done. This is just a headache that the government don't need And this is becoming more and more Drama filled With now applications going left, right and center Now mr. What has rejected an herbal and application to stop drilling made under a different section And he's appointed it an independent facilitated immediate. So if it's just money Well, let's get to the bottom of it For the state government said it would forge ahead with building the stadium even if mr. What was still considering cultural heritage claims

22:43Well, they need to get something decided once and for all because this is starting to become a headache that they don't want Now I talked about this a little earlier about capital gains tax and The shake up for Australian property shares investment taxes and you're trying to protect your assets How embarrassing is it that Australia has been forced to rethink the way it invests Under the Albanese government as they finalize a tax shake up Which will then trigger a push to buy through companies and super funds as investors look to minimize the impact of these tax hikes So reforms to the capital gains tax and limits on negative gearing are widely anticipated When the treasurer Jim charmer's hands down the budget on the twelfth of May While the move to reduce the tax benefits of families and discretionary trust is also on the table So Everybody's under the under the microscope at the moment

23:46Most of the changes are expected to be grandfathered meaning they'll only affect investments made after certain dates in the future And financial advisors are generally recommending that investors wait But this is what is going on at the moment we have A bloke while the name of Jim charmers who is trying to get some money back The renewables and the nbis and all that is costing them a heap of money We've all been using family trust for some time And they've been commonly used to spread income across family members to lower tax rates in a bid to reduce household overall tax bill will trust Now and distributions They're about to get a whack While it may currently appear as a good option for tax minimisation the government is considering imposing a minimum tax rate of 30% on distribution Similar to the policy of 29 election by then Labor Bill shorten So

24:47Most people have been able to shift their money around and everybody gets a little bit well A company would pay 23.5% tax Compared to the 30% of a trust He hasn't done himself any favours Jim charmers and this is what happens as anybody thought about the NDIS and what a message been Well, maybe just maybe if they look at the waste of money that is coming out of that and the racketeering that's been going on They might not have to worry about it Women's state of origin New South Wales took a one-neil lead overnight and It was 11 points to six six nil at halftime to Queensland and it didn't go that way It was a tough slog I actually don't know why the first game of the year is state of origin I think the NRL have got that's so wrong But they obviously want to tie the season in at that same time, but I can tell you now um He absolutely

25:48They absolutely need to look at that because the origin should not be the first game and there's obviously a lot left in there now David Christopher Lee has rejected the buyback scheme For after the bond dietary check he's just refusing to recon to consider a national gun buyback scheme and rightly so The Christopher Lee government have refused to it reconsider it and they're not going to do anything They have got gun laws implemented here and I believe believe that they've made the right decision So I just would like to say to everybody that you can say what you want About David Christopher Lee, but he's doing a hell of a good job We will get wake here is there on next week and obviously Sean Dylan will be coming on here next week as well But very clear that he beats to his own drum So I'm extremely happy with that moving forward that people and gun owners

26:52Can absolutely feel safe in the sense that they are going to be all right moving forward We're going to take a short break come back still plenty more to get through this is rural Queensland today Welcome back to rural Queensland today bend up and with me either this morning and RBV rural Matty beer joint just this morning Look next Tuesday will be their first win or sell 4000 head expected yesterday. There was a thousand head offered The market obviously reflective that there is a lot of cattle coming next week Matt beard good morning, and thanks so much for being with us I think good morning double how are you mate Hey, go on well, thanks. Yeah, everything's going pretty good here at the moment We'd we'd all appreciate probably just a little bit of moisture coming through to the With the under there's a few truckers in the panic and a bit of weight-means right and chickpea but Look, you just take it as a count Yeah, it's interesting a really good start to the year and then obviously you know things are drawing out and you know the projections For my aunt great, but you hold that with a grain of salt

27:54And obviously you don't you don't you don't really rely on that kind of thing only a thousand head That's reflective of what happens his happening next Tuesday 4,000 head booked a lot of prime cattle how was that job mate? Oh look it was pretty solid dollar to be honest I thought the leader of that cattle there may not have been a lot bigger than the previous week But certainly what we saw was that secondary sort of cattle were a lot more competitive And certainly many more processes there willing to participate on those stock as well, too So but no ball excited quite as as such and look largely because of that wiener style It was it basically was a glorified cow cow sale for a handful of other lines of cattle But there's about heavy cows there the three dollars thirty again, but with that mid-range cow That's sort of probably listed from the low twos in that mid to high two dollar range for that cow You know 430 to 480 kilos there with with a little bit of condition Without being pro and yeah, and that and that speaks volumes of what's going on doesn't it? You know, there is obviously a lot happening at the present moment

28:57Can I ask you in your opinion, you know with that prime job is it what what's driving that you know coming out of rock ampton Is there a shortage of numbers again? You know three weeks ago they didn't want anything now they're they're chasing them again Well, I think in the central just because of the capacity of stock around them here I think bookings still well and truly outman dance at the moment, you know but probably what we are starting to see From what sources to tell it means that numbers are starting to steady up a little bit in the south hopefully those, you know That Dolby South can get a really good shot of rain ride through to the You know Victorian border and beyond just to wet things up And I think that'll really help supply Explode down a little bit and and the whole country will benefit from it Yeah, and that's that's the that's the big thing If they can get that so Let's talk about that car job. How was it? Where was it at? Yeah, best heavy cows into the street all of 30 range But it was probably the real highlight with that cow that was in that middle bracket, you know

29:58450 to 500 kilo cow Back to seeing a lot of those cows into that 275 sort of mark which we you know that was that was probably 25 30 cents get them in the previous week Yeah That boats well now mate emerald auction center I've got to ask you obviously That you'll have the MJ mechanical auction running from the 8th to the 11th of May So next week that kicks up, but you're taking bookings for the big one the end of fine Year, which will be the 12th to 15th of June. You're taking bookings now Yeah, that's right, Dolby. We sort of just about finished their deliveries from their April auction When I ended up with about 90 to think clearance right out of that style. So that's come off pretty well And now the guys are sort of just on the road They're going to start gathering up our assets again for this next June auction So it's pretty easy You know anyone can go to our website anytime and view what can that upcoming catalog or just go to our vendor booking button And stick that tab all you want in one of the same call and we'll we'll be in touch And that's the big thing isn't it um, you know like um you guys have got a lot going on there and and obviously

31:03You know very very the clearance right you talk about that. There's nowhere else that's clearing like you guys So people who are wanting to book machinery in there's a real opportunity you've got people Prepared to sell They haven't got unrealistic values on that on their machinery and you guys move move machinery That is what has become very evident over a long period of time at Emerald auctions any you guys get the job done Well, and and I'm look I must say that there are some assets that we walk away from what we sort of feel that may not be According more than the market too, you know, so it's it's probably not that we are achieving something that is accidentally Far greater than Emeralds, you know, it's probably that we just we decide to go with people that Say anything want to sell it or really want to buy it and and put those two parties together Yeah, I like it. Um, I like it a lot um Mate you've got some properties on the market and obviously you guys have been doing a lot of online With property sales at the moment and it seems to be very successful

32:05Bluegrass planes will shut today by the conclusion his show at 10 o'clock in gato rbv rural dot com But you've also got eat and val and bagpipe a clam on that's next week and Matilda downs aggression cappella That's in three weeks time that closes that's online as well. So some significant properties on the market at the moment Yeah, look bit it this is probably a fairly normal cycle for this time of year Although they tend to get out of a summer period you market that sort of property around at Easter time and post and then have an auction Made June So we have low grass planes look, you know, for the honest, this is what we think this is the future of of selling property and And it sort of it covers a lot of bases is from an online auction point of view It's very transparent very simple and and look anyone can view this auction That's coming up and closing this morning on bluegrass clients. You don't need to register Just go to our website and click the button and have a look and Yeah, look we'll see how that one goes this morning hopefully when get that one and as well Yeah, and that's the big thing isn't it, you know, you've just um there seems to be the way forward and and

33:11What it does do is it takes the pressure of that moment in that time right there and then having to come up with the result which is Sometimes people like to go away think about it have a bit more and this this online system where there is time Is giving people a real opportunity to make sure that the purchase they make is the right one And where they're prepared to go to they have their bank manager involved the decisions aren't made in quick time In in in 40 minutes or so or within an hour and that's been Evident by the results and that's probably the direction that you guys are going and feeling that way about Yeah, absolutely, you know looking at four days to really view this thing and give it due consideration You know, I think this is the perfect hybrid model between a live auction situation and an expression of interest You know boys get time to take due consideration And and also they get an opportunity to contact their banks or whoever's involved and say hey look, you know This thing's exceeded where we thought, you know, can we can we stretch?

34:12Yeah, well said Mate we appreciate you every week best deluxe for next Tuesday 4,000 head yard a lot of quality winners there next week and this is the start of them Had a good summer there'll be plenty plenty of weight and there'll be lots of freshness. They're obviously some good lines coming in next week All of the sure look some of it in and look largely of end of bread yarding and You know some of the cattle weight for age will be it'll be a really classy yard a cattle very exception Yeah, Matt be it rbvru you can go to rbvrule.com To have a look at the latest catalog as I said The mj and mechanical auction 8th or 11th of May and bookings are now open for the 12th to the 15th of June They're end of fine entry year sale This is rural Queensland today. That was Maddie Beard. We'll talk to you again next week night. Appreciate your time Cheers. I won't thank you. Thank you. We're gonna take a break. Come back. It's the first of May on rural Queensland today rural Queensland today Ben Doblin with you this morning. You want to talk about an absolute travesty Well, the Albanese Labor government is

35:14once again leaving regional Australia in the dark with Still no decision on whether or not the regional tech hub will get its funding moving forward now It is due to expire at the end of the financial year and it is a lifeblood now We spoke with our enumerant at the top of the show This is as important for the bush as anything going on at the moment The general manager of the regional tech hub is Christian Coggen. She joined me this morning With still no word on whether or not an extension Sarah Henderson shadow minister of communication digital safety in senator for Victoria and Ann Webster and P of both put a joint Press statement out. We thought we'd go to the big dog the the general manager. Kristen good morning. Thanks for being with us mate Good day, Dan. How are you? Really well I've got to be honest with you and Obviously we've been talking about this for some time and and it's but you've been at pains to have to go

36:14Public on this big but yet we are a month away and still no answer on whether or not they will continue the funding Can I ask firstly what kind of number are we looking at for funding like what's what is the funding number that has been at this stage used? So then What we've asked for is a one year Roll over which is in our current contract which when you're talking about where you end our G3 That's what finishes our current contract. Yep, which was a three-year contract It contains the option for a 12-month roll over that two million dollars So that's what our funding has always been so we're talking about two million dollars that Employees forting people and Services the ten million regional rural and remote Australians with a free service Independent service as well For their connectivity name you are kidding me two million dollars for a federal government

37:16Employees ten people it's a free service for the thousands of thousands of people that live in regional Australia Um, and we still haven't got an answer at all and I mean Let's be honest with the Annika Wells ducks and dives and weaves and and these are my words. She will not face the music whatsoever. We've seen the chaos of the 3g shut down. We saw that absolute debacle Um, and she oversaw we've seen Um power outages everybody has to if you don't have starlink You can't you cannot communicate there there is never anything more yet There's a service that is provided by the regional tech hub that actually people can feel like they can make a phone Or they can help they can get advice And it's costing two million dollars. Do you think about the money we were on NDIS the money that they with their fat cat Lifestyles when they go on flights yet they can't give you an answer What is going on? What what why will they not commit?

38:19So we've been um told that it's we've got to wait to go through the budget chain So we're waiting to see what comes out of the budget as to whether we'll get that funding or not unfortunately That gives us then Six weeks To shut down or ramp up again in the meantime We've been it's it's extremely how do you can imagine Ben the team we are passionate about helping people We love it. I'm idea. So we get off on it. Yeah, but to be seen in the situation the team has It's really hard to keep my momentum up. It's really hard to Well, that I'm not going to have a joke I don't know if they're going to have a job in a month like you know like it's ridiculous right Now stakeholders what they want of that thing So I want to collaborate with us who've got partnerships their colors that we actively engage with But we're having to tell them look we can't we can't book anything post-June uh post uh May 30 because our exit strategy that which we have buoyant bounded by it right now means we can't do public facing post

39:23The end of May so It's really we're in this really difficult situation Um, and if we have to go the budget Uh churn that's what has to be but she's it'd be nice to have a gay or a no one way or another So we could get on with her life Can you get a meeting with Annika Wells? Can you get a meeting with Annika Wells not at all So the minister yeah the minister you she'll give you you she'll give you the foot soldiers of course The foot soldiers they always come out, but the actual minister who Understands the importance of this and and and what 10,000 regional Australians. Is that what we're talking That's where this is bought 10,000 uh from the latest um regional uh survey it's there's 10 million regional Australians 10 million regional Australians have The opportunity to use the regional tech hub and it's going to cost two million dollars

40:23Mm-hmm. Are you like it begs to believe the way we waste money in this country And this makes as much sense to me as anything How frustrated are you from within and and and you want to talk about staff morale As the general manager you're having to deal with these amazing people who are working on the ground every day who are giving back Like they literally are there and like how frustrated are they and how unmotivated Considering that they don't know what their future is they'll be looking for jobs they'll be looking Oh, what are we going to do people have expenses? They've got costs. This is absolutely catastrophic. Well been I mean, I must point out here. They have to put up with me and help me through this We're all we're all a little bit suffering and we're all doing a great job trying to pull it together But you're right people are um, you know, we have conversations every day of Um, um, I'm here to put someone's phone me. I'm here to the end Which is fabulous, but I know others can't throw that to me and I could have said then you've got to do what's best for you Everyone is passionate so and everyone's hoping and praying

41:27We're also looking at because this is such a great program and we have so many Like our website is all of resources our health says we have built and developed systems mapping systems and things that The boys and oh the boys and the girls on the health desk can also Really track down where people's locations are and see what their Pilgrims like and understand what they want Their connection to do and if it's able to do it Uh, we don't want to get that all turned off So we're also entertaining and looking at other options on how we could continue Um, whether we get some private equity. What about private equity like I would have thought there would have been In some philanthropists, you know, like and this is a call out a little bit to them as well that No, and it's not where you want to go. This is a government responsibility, but There might be a philanthropist. There might be private equity or an investment You know who want to come up Come on board that understand the importance of this

42:27And that's right then and that's what we're looking at and unfortunately because we were told You know, you'll find out in January. You'll find out if you've got the funding in February. You'll find out if you've got it In in March, but then no, it's going to go through the budget We've been sort of pushed into a corner where we're grappling last minute, unfortunately Um, and everybody also thinks that two million dollars What good service surely they're going to refund that well That you know, we don't know so we definitely are looking at um the future of it and how we could stay open Uh, that also depends on you know, there's there's conversations in that Is you know, well if we do get some funding somewhere else. Is it a full staff? Is it a skeleton staff? What do we do? So we're still up in the air. We're still up in the air with it, but We can't we can't let this service go Regional Australia Need this service we service uh, you know last financial or no actually 2025

43:29We average 28 calls a day So that could be no, so that's either people emailing us requesting something or our team out on the ground at events talking to people directly and helping them That you know, those looks at numbers I'm not because we're just picking KPI boxes or just doing the bare minimum or having a joke We're helping people we really are helping people and It's information you can't get anywhere else I agree. Yeah, I agree. It's just that for anywhere else. It's absolutely ludicrous and Annika Wells Um, this is on her this really is uh the the frustrating part of it is Is that you guys are you not asking for 10 mil you're actually running it on a shoe string You know like you know like you're actually running it on A shoe string of of not a lot of money um, you know like you know It it it begs to believe how they can get how they can get

44:31It just does not make any sense at all. So it doesn't No, just with regional Australia is about to say our ADSL Um cut off can hey chassis radio changes Uh, you know the satellite to mobile technology That sort of thing it all needs to be navigated and it's so hard and that's a weekly Fire rail we we break it down in simple English Uh, we'll have resources will be out in the fields talking people through it We can help people with the help desk to sort out their other options This is what they need to do shut down We were smashed because of it was the thing of the thing of course, you know Just ridiculous Uh, we're gonna continue to try and fight for this because this is something that needs to be looked at We appreciate your time general manager of the regional tech hub christian kogan um And the fact is that there's a two million dollar Investment that the federal government need to make for the 10 million original Australians and they won't do it at the moment

45:34Holy hell Holy hell Thanks for being with us mate. No doubt frustrated. We'll stay in contact in the next month and we'll try and put as much pressure as we possibly can on But appreciate you giving me some time this morning No worries Ben. Thank you. Thank you. We're gonna take a break. Come back. Can you believe that? I'm in no Yeah, but anyway. No, this is rural Queensland today. We'll take a break. Come back with more Well, that's it from us here this morning on the 1st of May for rural Queensland today Been a big week. We won't be here on Monday the may day long weekend and uh, we won't be working on Monday Have a great day Queensland and we'll see you again on Tuesday morning across rural Queensland today Stay safe on the roads and remember when the weed is ripe keep the headers rolling in the paddock We'll catch up with you again next time for rural Queensland today Jason Matthews to join your next after the news. See you later, Queensland