Date set for Qld govt Senate inquiry probe THE first public hearing for a Senate inquiry into the Queensland government will be held on the Gold Coast on Thursday. PALMER United Party (PUP) Senator for Queensland and inquiry chairman Glenn Lazarus says the hearing will cover issues including the Gold Coast Spit, the Gold Coast Broadwater and the Gold Coast Quarry. "Many submissions have been received from various sectors across Queensland and they are still continuing to come in," he said in a statement. This Senate inquiry is providing a real and genuine forum for Queenslanders to raise their concerns with the Queensland government under parliamentary privilege. Mr Lazarus says community members and organisations who have lodged submissions, as well as others, have been invited to participate in Thursday's hearing. It will be held from 11am at the Crown Plaza Hotel at Surfers Paradise and is open to the public. The next session will take place in Brisbane on November 21 and an inquiry report is expected by March. In September, PUP won support for a Senate inquiry into the conduct of the Newman government after Labor and the Australian Greens backed the proposal. At that time, government Senate Leader Eric Abetz accused PUP leader Clive Palmer of abusing parliament, and pursuing a "personal vendetta" against Mr Newman. But Mr Lazarus defended Mr Palmer, saying serious concerns had been raised about the Queensland government's use of federal funds, and taxpayers deserved answers. A Senate estimates hearing was last month told there was no obligation for Newman government MPs or officials to appear at the inquiry. WHO WILL FRONT FIRST SENATE INQUIRY PROBE * Steven Gration and Phil Hoile from Save our Spit * Kate Matthews from Save our Broadwater * Don Magin from Main Beach Bathing Pavilion * Lois Levy from the Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council * Sam Stewart and Rob Richards from Stop the Gold Coast Quarry * Innes Larkin from Keep the Scenic Rim Scenic * Aila Keto from Australian Rainforest Conservation Society