By Jeremy Sollars
NEW Federal MP for Maranoa David Littleproud has won government approval to open an office in Warwick with a full-time staff member.
As the holder of one of the six largest federal electorates in Australia, Mr Littleproud is entitled to have three taxpayer-funded offices, unlike his metropolitan colleagues who get just the one.
Mr Littleproud has taken over the Dalby and Roma offices used by his predecessor Bruce Scott, who previously shared a self-funded office with State MP Lawrence Springborg on King Street.
The new MP – who will continue to live in Warwick as he did before his election – told the Free Times he was looking to secure self-funded office space in Longreach to service the western tracts of Maranoa.
He said while the Department of Parliamentary Services would pay for a Longreach staffer he would fund the premises out of his own pocket.
While the new Warwick digs are as yet unconfirmed, Mr Littleproud said a departmental officer would be visiting Warwick this week to inspect a number of potential sites.
One of these is rumoured to be the renovated Plumbs Chambers building on Fitzroy Street owned by Rose City Shoppingworld owners the McConaghy Group, but Mr Littleproud was staying mum on specific locations.
“It’s the cost of the location as well, and there are certain specifications the department requires,” he said.
“But we’ll get things rolling as quickly as we can.”
He confirmed he has five full-time staff across his existing offices and this would increase to six when the Warwick office opened.
Mr Littleproud and his wife Sarah and their three sons were committed to living in Warwick.
“It’s actually easier to service the electorate living in Warwick,” he said.
“When I need to get out to Roma, I can get on a plane at Wellcamp and when I go further out west to places like Charleville I get on a plane in Brisbane.”
Lawrence Springborg told the Free Times his King Street office in Warwick which he funds privately would continue to open Monday and Friday. It had formerly also opened on a Wednesday with that day funded by Bruce Scott.
Mr Littleproud appeared on the ABC’s Lateline program this week after revelations a survey on gay marriage showed Maranoa was the only electorate in the country where the majority of voters surveyed opposed its legalisation.
He said he was committed to a proposed plebiscite to decide the issue and praised Maranoa residents for their “respectful debate” regardless of the eventual plebiscite outcome nationally.
“A difference of opinion is the foundation of a healthy democracy, and this debate can happen nationally,” he said in a statement this week.
“The Maranoa is leading the way in terms of a respectful conversation because everyone is entitled to have their say on this issue which could potentially alter our social fabric.
“I’m out and about in my electorate, and I can say there has been no seismic-shift of opinion on this.
“I will always use my vote to represent the views within my electorate. Same-sex marriage is a private, emotive issue and one that should be put to the people of Australia to enable parliamentarians to do their job as representatives and vote accordingly.
“The Coalition Government made it clear during the election campaign that this issue would be resolved by way of a plebiscite – I call on the Opposition and crossbenchers to support the plebiscite and deal with the issue once and for all so the parliament can get on with addressing the budget deficit, job creation in the regions, creating new markets for our producers and building key water infrastructure.”
