Before I do, however, I want to make a couple of observations about contributions by other members in the course of this debate.

I want to commend the member for Cairns for her contribution and note that the member for Cairns gave what I thought was a very fair and balanced representation of the variety of views, opinions and positions that were held and were generated following the announcement that Far North Queensland would have the first statutory regional plan in this state and, indeed, in the country. That is exactly as you would expect it to be.

The draft plan and the final plan make some very significant adjustments to the way in which land will be used in the region into the future. It is to be expected that that would generate some strong views.

People of the Far North are opinionated. They do not mind expressing their views and they do not mind expressing them forcefully, and that is exactly as it should be.

But to characterise what was objectively a very fair and balanced representation of that range of views by the member for Cairns, as the member for Gympie did, as some sort of exercise in belittling people who wanted to express their point of view was a total distortion of the member for Cairns's contribution and another hysterical contribution lacking credibility from the member for Gympie.

Ms Nolan: He criticised her for taking a position. That is what they do.

Mr WETTENHALL: That is right. The fact is that there were nearly a thousand submissions from local people on the draft plan. As the Premier and the Deputy Premier predicted when they launched the draft plan in Cairns last year, they said they would be very surprised, if not disappointed, if, as a result of the submissions received and the further consultation that would have been undertaken after the draft plan, there were not significant changes-and so there were.

To hear speaker after speaker from the opposition criticise the consultation process and criticise the efforts made to take into account the disparate views from people in the far northern community is very disappointing, because that was a genuine attempt.

It was both a general and targeted series of consultations. I went to many of them. It is quite extraordinary that not only members in this House would criticise that process but the LNP's own candidates during the last election campaign ripped into this.

Mr Cripps: I went to them, too.

Mr WETTENHALL: I say to the member for Hinchinbrook and others that the people of Cairns had their opportunity to express their points of view at the 2009 election.

Despite the attempts to whip up concern about this plan affecting and taking away people's rights, the people supported the plan overwhelmingly, because fundamentally it protects the environment, it protects their lifestyle and it lays the groundwork for a vibrant and appropriate tourism industry into the future.

It protects agricultural land. It protects all of the industries that underpin North Queensland's economy.

Mr Cripps interjected.

Mr WETTENHALL: I am glad to hear the member for Hinchinbrook and the member for Gympie come in here today and support this plan. That is a good thing. They have seen the light and their tune has changed, and that is a good thing.

But it was not like that during the election campaign. It was not like that at all. They were going around telling people that this was the worst thing that could ever have happened to the people of North Queensland and that the plan was going to be ripped up. We knew that that was what was going to happen. The people knew that that was what was going to happen. They did not support that point of view.

Another thing that was said about the plan was that it was conceived in Brisbane, developed in Brisbane and imposed by Brisbane. That is another total misrepresentation and a great insult to the people in the department of planning who worked on this and to all of the stakeholders in the local area who took part in the process.

They were insulted by those remarks, and they will not forget them. They will not forget that the LNP candidates not only did not support this plan but went around and attacked and insulted all of the people who had been involved in developing it. That will not be forgotten.

They did not have the courage of their convictions. My LNP opponent in the 2009 election ran around making comments about the FNQ plan. She denigrated the plan, denigrated the people who had been involved in developing the plan, denigrated the people who made submissions and denigrated the fundamental tenets of the plan. I challenged her to debate me on that plan at any time and at any place during the election campaign and she squibbed out of it. They do not have the courage of their convictions.

I am glad that the LNP has changed its tune and is now supporting this award-winning plan.

These state planning regulatory provisions will support tourism development and jobs while protecting the Far North's natural beauty for future generations of Queenslanders and for tourists to come and enjoy.

Tourism has been the fastest-growing industry in Far North Queensland over the past three decades and provides significant employment benefits for the region. The development of the Cairns International Airport, improved access to high-quality natural attractions-such as the reef and rainforests-and increased global travel have contributed to this growth. It is predicted that the region will grow by over 100,000 new residents over the next 20 years.

While such growth can bring economic prosperity, if it is not properly managed it can result in adverse impacts in the region placing unacceptable pressures on natural resources and communities.

The Queensland government committed to providing a suitable framework that will support the region's needs for employment and housing affordability. This plan provides the necessary planning frameworks that afford continued growth for the region, ensuring that industries such as the tourism and agricultural industries will continue to stimulate the region's economy.

The development of the region's urban centres is influenced by tourism, agriculture, mining and service industry activity. Tourism is a prominent influence in places like Port Douglas, Kuranda and Mission Beach. The region's tourism industry is predominantly based on natural and cultural features.

Key visitor attractions include the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropics rainforest, scenic landscapes and natural areas and a tropical climate. Protection of the natural attractions and character of the region is important to the sustainability of the tourism industry. Indeed, it is paramount to the sustainability of the tourism industry.

The Far North Queensland state planning regulatory provisions recognise tourism as a significant industry for the region and include provisions aimed at supporting tourism development while protecting the natural environment. Medium and large scale tourism development, which includes associated residential development, is directed towards the urban footprint. Only small scale tourist accommodation is permitted in the regional landscape and rural production area.

During consultation on the draft state planning regulatory provisions the tourism industry did raise concerns regarding the restrictive provisions on tourism developments in the regional landscape and rural development area, particularly with respect to the location of tourist attractions within areas of high ecological significance.

Submissions sought more flexibility to accommodate economic growth, innovation and diversification. In particular, feedback indicated that a greater emphasis was required in the plan for the potential for mining, tourism and agricultural industries in the region.

The importance of the tourism industry was highlighted in a number of submissions, with requests for revisions to the regulatory provisions to ensure that an appropriate balance between environmental protection and ecotourism opportunities is achieved.

The final state planning regulatory provisions have been substantially changed to reflect the government's proposed changes announced at the Cairns regional parliament in October 2008.

The Deputy Premier and then minister for infrastructure and planning announced that the size of tourism developments allowed outside the urban footprint would be increased to include medium scale projects, as long as they were not in areas of high ecological significance or on good-quality agricultural land. These changes allow accommodation for up to 250 people and accompanying facilities with a floor area of no more than 4,000 metres square.

Some examples of tourism developments in the Cairns region that are of a similar nature and scale are the famous Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, in my electorate, or Hartley's Creek Crocodile Farm.

Under the provisions which are now in effect, medium scale developments can occur within the rural landscape and rural production area. These types of developments enable the tourism industry to continue to be responsive to the market.

These developments, however, must still be in keeping with the intent of the draft regional plan and will require approval from both the council and state government. The plan and supporting provisions require that the developments will still need to meet strict environmental provisions of the regional plan and provide appropriate infrastructure in an ecologically sustainable way.

While no permanent residential development is permitted in the rural landscape and rural production area other than that required for caretakers or staff accommodation, the plan provides for the flexibility required in the tourism industry to respond to market needs and venture into world-class environmentally sensitive tourism developments.

The regulatory provisions make a clear distinction between tourist accommodation and nature based tourist attractions. Nature based tourist attractions such as Skyrail or the Ma:Mu rainforest canopy walk, which have a direct connection with the regional landscape, will be permitted in areas of high ecological significance but must be carefully planned and managed to minimise impacts.

In conclusion, this plan protects a very significant proportion of the natural areas and natural landscapes of the region which do underpin the best lifestyle in the state and the country and make our region so attractive to visitors from around the country.

Our tourism industry is so important to the regional economy and for jobs.

I commend the state planning regulatory provisions to the House.