In a spray at Queensland Premier Campbell Newman and the state’s Liberal National Party government, Jones told radio 4BC yesterday said he “couldn’t back the Premier to win a chook raffle”, suggesting that he was in the pockets of mining giants.

Jones also alleged that Newman lied to him in 2012 when he promised there would be no stage three of the Acland coal mine new Toowoomba where the broadcaster grew up.

“What’s happened on the Darling Downs under this government is a disgrace,” Jones said.

“Make no bones about it – this is as bad as anything we’ve ever seen in government in Australia anywhere.

“He's first best friends with the mining giants who are plundering this state and not improving our bottom line.

“Our debt is worse than it was when Newman came into government – and our agricultural land is being squandered and he's done nothing about the debt he said he would address.

“This is a bloke who made a magistrate chief justice and walked all over the legal profession – bully-boy stuff.

"This is the bloke who won't investigate why a dozen people died in the Grantham floods. You can't believe a word this bloke says."

Jones claimed that Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg had failed to respond to “a million letters” about the health concerns from Tara residents “living in a CSG field”

The study assessment found that the investigation that led to the Darling Downs Public Health Unit report which centred on those complaints was “unable to determine whether any of the health effects reported by the community are linked to CSG activities”

Roche said Jones “may find it convenient to broadcast his negative comments from his Sydney Harbour-side studio rather than actually venture north, however the 442,000 hardworking Queenslanders who rely on our sector probably do not agree with his ramblings”

“Our sector is vital to the state’s economic future, worth $78 billion, and responsible for generating one in every four dollars of the Queensland economy and one in every five jobs.

“If Mr Jones is such a proud Queenslander, then he should be supporting one of the main pillars of the state’s economy.

“Instead he spouts anti-development messages, undermining Queensland jobs and livelihoods.

“Mr Jones claims great affinity with the great Darling Downs region. He might therefore take note that the mining and gas sectors account for one in every five jobs in the Downs region and last year purchased $2.3 billion worth of goods and services from more than 1000 local businesses.

“The Downs has changed for the better since Mr Jones called the region home. The resources sector has brought thousands of jobs for locals, new community infrastructure and a new income source for thousands of farming families.

“Communities that were in long-term decline are thriving.”

The Lock the Gate Alliance claims that over 20 families in the Tara residential estate in southwest Queensland have experienced health problems which it says they believe were caused by CSG activities.

However, contrary to Jones’ claims that the complaints were not dealt with, Queensland’s Department of Health conducted a risk assessment of health complaints and environmental monitoring data, completed in March 2013.