It is not the first project Annastacia Palaszczuk scraps, and it probably wont be the last. Yesterday, she announced that the ASF integrated resort and casino project on The Spit would be left on the scrap-heap, following the demise of developments including two other big casino projects. Decisions that many see as a way to gain seats on the Gold Coast and win the next election.

 ASF integrated resort and casino project cancelled
Only two years after Labor handed the Chinese-led consortium the right to develop the land, Annastacia Palaszczuk decision to scrap the $3 billion ASF integrated resort and casino project on the Spit "in order to protect the area" seems suspect.

Especially when the decision comes after the demise of two other big casino resort development projects in Queensland : a Greg Norman-linked $2 billion casino resort on Great Keppel Island and an $8 billion casino at Yorkeys Knob near Cairns. This leaves the area without a single proponent for any integrated resort development process, pushing casino players to make do with online platform like CasinosAvenue.

Putting political pragmatism ahead of jobs ?

With more than $20 billion in major projects been scrapped under the Palaszczuk Government, many start to think that her decisions are set to gain seats on the Gold Coast and win the next election. Indeed, her anti-development stance could help the party win seats such as Gaven and Bonney.

Thing is, all those development projects would have created numerous jobs - 13,000 for the single ASF development project - and brought huge foreign investment in the region. Worst is, Annastacia Palaszczuk does not seem to be hearing her people, of which 54 per cent said to be in favour of such a project, believing it would create jobs, boost tourism and improve the Spit, against only 42 per cent who believed it would damage the Spit.

A bad reputation for Queensland ?

Director of the ASF project Louis Chien was furious - it's the second time the Government slams the door on the Chinese-backed company after also rejecting its plans for a $5 billion integrated resort and cruise ship terminal on Wave Break Island in the Gold Coast Broadwater - and said that Palaszczuk's decision undermined Queensland’s credibility as a destination for tourism investment.

Even Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said he was disappointed to see investors turned away. He also fears that Palaszczuk's master plan for The Spit and her idea of three-storey height limit applied for future developments creates a risk of damage to Queensland reputation for investment.