State News - December 2016

Tomorrow, tens of thousands of Queensland students in the class of 2016 can go online and find out their OP and QCE results.

Shadow Minister for Education Tracy Davis said tomorrow’s results were the culmination of 12 years of formal education and marked a time to celebrate the many achievements of our school leavers.

“I want to pass on my congratulations to every graduating student across Queensland,” Ms Davis said.

“There will be students who are delighted with their results and some who may be disappointed, but I would urge all students not to let their scores deter them from pursuing their dreams.

“There are alternative pathways to university including vocational training, apprenticeships or other study.

“This is a new phase in these young adults’ lives and tomorrow is just one part of that journey.

“I would encourage parents to discuss all the options with their children as they embark on the next chapter in their lives.”

• Unemployment increases from 5.8% per cent to 6.0 per cent (seasonally adjusted)
• 34,700 jobs lost since the start of year (trend) - Queensland still leading the nation in job losses (on every measure)
• 42,400 Queenslanders have lost hope and given up looking for work since the start of the year (seasonally adjusted)

Queensland continues to lead the nation on job losses with today’s ABS figures showing more Queenslanders are either losing their jobs or giving up the search for work in what has been a troubling year for jobseekers.

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said Palaszczuk Labor’s jobs crisis was worsening – with Queensland leading the way on trend job losses for the 11th straight month.

“Queensland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate had increased from 5.8 per cent to 6.0 per cent and 42,000 people have stopped looking for work since the start of the year,” Mr Nicholls said.

“According to Labor’s preferred ‘trend’ measure, over 34,700 Queenslanders have lost their jobs and nearly 40,000 Queenslanders have given up their search for a job since January.

“The underlying trend here is that more Queenslanders are losing their jobs and those that are out of work are giving up looking.

“Although the trend unemployment rate dropped slightly, this was because of a distinct fall in the number of people looking for work – and jobs were still lost last month.

“Earlier this week the Treasurer admitted failure with employment growth forecasts halved in the Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Review (MYFER).

“We’re seeing tens of thousands of Queenslanders losing their jobs and giving up looking for work under this do-nothing Government.

“Queensland is in a jobs crisis and it’s clear Annastacia Palaszczuk has no plan for the future.”

• Queensland Labor supports an appeals process for higher electricity prices
• Annastacia Palaszczuk advocates for a Carbon Tax again
• Labor’s only plan is to slug Queenslanders with higher electricity prices

Shadow Energy Minister Michael Hart said Annastacia Palaszczuk has sold out Queenslanders arguing against a proposal to remove appeals that lead to higher electricity prices.

Mr Hart said the Palaszczuk Government continued to treat Queenslanders like cash cows after they rejected a proposal from the Commonwealth Government to stop electricity network providers from appealing decisions of the independent Australia Energy Regulator.

“Network providers use this appeals process to drive up the revenue it can recoup from electricity users, meaning higher prices for Queensland families, businesses and industry,” Mr Hart said.

“Queensland Labor blocked this moved, which would have guaranteed electricity network providers cant waste money and time appealing for higher electricity prices.

“Instead Labor has supported price gouging by electricity network service providers.”

Mr Hart said it was the same old bad Labor, like the Bligh-Fraser Government, when Andrew Fraser wrote* to the Federal Government arguing for higher electricity price.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk has also argued to bring back a carbon tax that would add hundreds of dollars to every electricity bill in Queensland,” he said.

“It is another case of Annastacia Palaszczuk saying one thing and doing another, in Queensland she claims she is against a carbon tax then in Melbourne her handpicked energy minister argues for a carbon tax.

“We saw the devastating impact a carbon tax had on the Queensland economy, Labor is up to its old tricks again, higher electricity prices and a carbon tax.

“It cost thousands of jobs, drove up electricity prices, caused Queensland taxpayers to lose billions.

“Queenslanders can’t afford to pay more for electricity but everything Labor does drives up electricity prices.

• Trad short-changed in MYFER with a $668 million cut to infrastructure funding
• Trad now overseeing a $3 billion reduction in capital spending over the next four years
• Deputy Premier’s infrastructure slush fund raided because of Building Queensland’s ineffectiveness

Infrastructure spending in Queensland continues to plummet under Queensland’s least effective infrastructure Minister – Deputy Premier Jackie Trad.

Ms Trad was short-changed yet again by her Premier and Treasurer in yesterday’s mid-year budget update, which detailed another $668 million cut to infrastructure spending.

Shadow Infrastructure Minister and Deputy Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said Ms Trad was now overseeing the smallest state infrastructure program in living memory.

“The Deputy Premier is great at delivering bureaucracies, but yesterday’s MYFER illustrated once again she is incapable of getting infrastructure projects off the ground,” Ms Frecklington said.

“The $1.45 billion** put aside to fund Building Queensland priority projects has been raided to the tune of $200 million because of the failures of Ms Trad and her new bureaucracy.

“Where’s the money for Cross River Rail, the Pacific Motorway between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes, or the Cunningham Highway upgrade between Yamanto and Ebenezer Creek?

“These projects are listed as ready for government investment in Building Queensland’s infrastructure pipeline document – but this government again baulked at finding the funding to properly get these projects off the ground.

"What about funding for critical regional projects such as the Eastern Access Rail Corridor in Townsville or the Cairns Cruise Ship Terminal?"

Ms Frecklington said despite all of her supposed power and influence within government, Ms Trad had so far failed to deliver one new major infrastructure project for Queensland.

“All Ms Trad has delivered is glossy documents and more government bureaucracies – meanwhile, actual infrastructure spending continues to plummet on her watch,” she said.

“Ms Trad’s legacy is an almost $3 billion cut to capital spending over the forward years.

“The Deputy Premier needs to step up and start delivering – yet again this morning we’ve seen major traffic problems on the M1 and the Bruce Highway and this government has responded by cutting the state’s infrastructure budget even more.”

** From the 2016-17 State Budget, Capital Statement, page 11

“The allocation of the remaining SIF, $1.45 billion, will be informed by independent advice from Building Queensland, including the Building Queensland infrastructure pipeline of priority projects. Building Queensland assists (for projects valued at $50 million to $100 million) and leads (for projects valued at more than $100 million) in the development of rigorous Business Cases and develops an infrastructure pipeline of priority projects for unfunded proposals greater than $50 million.”

• Labor’s mid-year budget relies on coal royalty bubble that Pitt admits is likely to burst
• Mid-year budget reveals $700 million cut to infrastructure budget
• 18 000 jobs disappear as Palaszczuk Government forced to halve forecast employment growth.

The Palaszczuk Government’s mid-year Budget update has revealed a massive cut to infrastructure and significantly weaker jobs growth for Queensland – yet another sign Queensland is falling behind under this do-nothing Labor Government.

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said the dismal spending in today’s Mid-Year Economic Fiscal and Economic Review relied upon a short-term sugar hit from increased coal royalties, rather than sound fiscal management.

“Queenslanders have a billion reasons to feel let down today with today’s mid-year review nothing more than a complete admission of failure by this incompetent Labor Government,” Mr Nicholls said.

“Today’s budget update contains NO funding for any of Labor’s supposed priority infrastructure projects.

“Where’s the money for Cross River Rail, the Ipswich Motorway, the M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade, the Beerburrum to Nambour upgrade, the Cairns Cruise Ship Terminal or the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor?”

Mr Nicholls said today’s figures showed the Palaszczuk Labor Government had even given up on job creation with employment growth halved for 2016-17, meaning 18 000 fewer Queenslanders would be in work.

“Labor is relying a coal royalty bubble that even the Treasurer himself has admitted is likely to burst – a confession that he’s relying on good luck rather than good management to run Queensland’s economy,” he said.

“Today’s figures show debt is continuing to rise to more than $77 billion despite all the raids, accounting trickery and sleights of hand – and sadly Queenslanders are paying the price.

“Hidden away in all of today’s figures is the nasty little surprise that Labor has cut Queensland’s infrastructure budget by almost $700 million from the budget it released just six months ago.

“Even Labor’s signature Works for Queensland plan is a pale imitation of the LNP’s $500 million Royalties for the Regions plan that Labor scrapped two years ago – yet more proof that Labor is out of ideas.”

Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Infrastructure Minister Deb Frecklington said regional communities would be hardest hit by Labor’s savage cuts to infrastructure.

“The MYFER confirms yet another savage cut to the state’s infrastructure budget under Labor,” Ms Frecklington said.

“Another $668 million has been cut from the forward capital program. Over the next four years Labor will spend almost $3 billion less than previously budgeted under the LNP.

“Regional communities like Townsville, Cairns and Wide Bay have seen hundreds of millions of dollars slashed from local infrastructure spending under Labor and this is having a huge impact, with youth unemployment at crisis levels.

“Labor has bizarrely responded to a regional unemployment crisis by slashing infrastructure spending even more and this is going to have a disastrous impact right across Queensland.

“The budget update confirms Queensland is falling further behind under a do nothing government that still lacks a coherent economic plan after almost two years in office.”

Key facts about MYFER:

• Debt forecast to increase every year, up to $77.5 billion in 2019-20
• 2016-17 fiscal deficit totals $1 billion, increasing to $2.5 billion in 2017-18
• Government expenses have blown out by $350 million since the budget in June 2016
• Labor is spending $2.5 billion more on employee expenses than previously forecast between 2015-16 and 2017-18
• General government capital program has been cut by $668 million since the budget in June 2016
• Over the next four years the Palaszczuk Government will spend $2.9 billion less than the LNP budgeted for infrastructure
• Employment growth halved in 2016-17, meaning 18,000 fewer jobs created in Queensland
• Unemployment will remain above six per cent, but would be higher if not for the falling participation rate
• Wages growth forecasts also cut under Labor.

• Today’s MYFER won’t go anywhere near replacing the billions of dollars in infrastructure cuts Labor has implemented
• Labor slashed infrastructure spending by more than $2 billion in 2015-16
• This year’s State Budget details $2.3 billion in infrastructure cuts over the next four years, including $800 million cut to infrastructure this year alone

A boost in coal royalties might have propped up Curtis Pitt’s ailing budget but it won’t replace the billions in infrastructure spending the Palaszczuk Labor Government has slashed.

Shadow Infrastructure Minister Deb Frecklington said no doubt Labor would use today’s MYFER to argue it has increased infrastructure spending.

“The truth is they’ve slashed billions from Queensland’s capital program,” Ms Frecklington said.

“In 2015-16 infrastructure spending was just $8 billion – which represented a cut of more than $2 billion compared to the LNP’s infrastructure spend in 2014-15.

Ms Frecklington said the biggest threat to manufacturing was electricity prices.

“Labor’s extreme renewable energy policy will increase electricity prices by $1.3 billion, including $317 million extra for households, $221 million for businesses and $746 million for industry.

“A mere $20 million assistance package won’t even touch the sides when manufacturers are facing electricity price increases of $746 million.”

Ms Frecklington said over the next four years capital purchases have also been slashed by $2.3 billion.

“You can’t savagely cut infrastructure spending, restore a small portion of the funding and claim it’s a win for Queenslanders,” she said.

“Slashing billions from the capital program has hit confidence, hurt investment and cost Queenslanders their jobs.”

FACTS:

• Labor’s infrastructure spend in 2015-16 (actual): $8.043 billion
• LNP’s infrastructure spend in 2014-15 (actual): $10.075 billion
• Labor’s four-year capital purchases program as detailed in 2016-17 Budget: $35.242 billion
• LNP’s four-year capital program as detailed in 2014-15 MYFER: $37.526
• Labor’s cut to four-year capital purchases program: $2.284 billion

• More feel good announcements from phony Fentiman
• 13FAMILY helpline a great service run by external providers but can’t make up for a deepening crisis in her Child Safety Department
• Why is Minister directing families in need to services that are already under pressure?

Once again Labor Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman has focused on feel good announcements leading into Christmas rather than admitting and addressing the hidden backlog of child abuse cases across Queensland.

Shadow Minister for Child Safety Ros Bates said the 13FAMILY helpline will struggle to meet demand as child safety services shut down over Christmas.

“13FAMILY helpline is a well-respected and well-run service but sources to the LNP are telling us Family and Child Connect services are already at capacity.

“Add the fact that Child Safety services shut down to skeleton staff at Christmas like the rest of the public service, and things are sure to be stretched to the limit.”

Ms Bates said there had been deafening silence from Shannon Fentiman about the 3889 child abuse reports that were caught in an intake backlog at the end of October.

“The Minister has failed to say what she is doing to tackle the secret waiting list of child abuse reports under her watch and what is happening over Christmas as child safety offices shut down with the rest of the public service,” she said.

“Leaked October Child Safety data already shows thousands of reports of abuse stuck on a hidden intake backlog in regional intake centres.

“This backlog will continue to grow unless the Minister does something about it, and with two weeks before Christmas I worry for the thousands of children in abusive homes caught up in this mess.

“The Minister should be tackling the hidden backlog of abuse cases before she starts spruiking more hotlines.

“I am concerned that families who ring the 13 FAMILY helpline will not be guaranteed immediate assistance and could be left waiting.

“The Minister needs to bring in extra staff to fix the backlog and she can start by lifting the freeze on backfilling frontline child safety officers.”

• Labor set to announce its third so-called jobs package in less than two years after the first two failed
• Labor’s two previous job initiatives have been spectacular duds and failed to live up Annastacia Palaszczuk’s hype
• Labor needs to acknowledge their glossy jobs policy isn’t translating to jobs for Queenslanders

The Palaszczuk Labor Government is set to announce its latest reincarnation of a so-called jobs plan that proves their first two have been abject failures.

Shadow Employment Minister Jarrod Bleijie said Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor had absolutely no idea about how to get Queenslanders back into work.

“This is the third so-called regional jobs plan this incompetent Labor Government has come up with in the past two years,” Mr Bleijie said.

“Why do we need another jobs plan when at any given opportunity Annastacia Palaszczuk bleats about how successful the first two have been?

“Simple answer – they have been spectacular failures. Annastacia Palaszczuk is trying to con Queenslanders and continues to do so at any opportunity.”

Mr Bleijie said Labor’s jobs record over the past two years was dismal.

“Labor’s solution to unemployment was to hire more than 8000 bureaucrats to hide the fact it had no idea on what it was doing and to hide a ballooning unemployment rate,” he said.

“Labor’s signature Back to Work initiative was announced in the 2016-17 State Budget with much fanfare and hoped to create 8000 jobs.

“In almost half a year this program has helped less than 1000 people into work – a complete and utter failure by anyone’s standard.”

Mr Bleijie said you only had to look at the true employment figures to realise Labor’s so-called jobs plan was not working.

“In the past four months we’ve seen almost 30,000 jobs disappear from Queensland and another 46,000 people give up looking for work,” he said.

“It’s clear that Labor’s Back to Work program isn’t working and is failing young jobseekers in regional Queensland.

“The latest unemployment figures paint a stark picture of the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s flagship jobs policy and its failure to create opportunities in our regions.

“The youth unemployment rate in many regions has skyrocketed – in Outback Queensland it’s 33.7%, in Cairns it’s 27.4% and Wide Bay it’s 23.8%.

“Young jobseekers are giving up looking for work in record numbers because Annastacia Palaszczuk and Curtis Pitt aren’t giving them the opportunities they need to build their futures.

“Instead of protecting their mates in the CFMEU and cuddling up to the inner-city Greens, Labor needs to acknowledge their glossy jobs policy isn’t translating to jobs for Queenslanders.”

• Queensland’s domestic economy contracted last year under the Palaszczuk Government
• Queensland one of only two states with a domestic economy in reverse gear
• Labor have no plan to turn things around as Queensland slips further behind other states

New figures confirm Queensland’s domestic economy continues to slide under the do-nothing Palaszczuk Labor Government.

Over the year to September 2016, the state’s domestic economy shrank by 0.3 per cent or almost $1 billion, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Queensland was one of only two states with a domestic economy that went backwards.

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said the latest State Final Demand figures were another black mark on the Government’s economic performance.

“Domestic economic activity down by more than $1 billion over the past year means fewer jobs and less investment for Queenslanders,” Mr Nicholls said.

“Western Australia was the only other state to see its domestic economy contract over the same period, while New South Wales and Victoria powered further ahead.

“This do-nothing Labor Government is hurting growth in Queensland and costing Queenslanders jobs.

“Today’s figures show a sharp fall in government infrastructure spending across Queensland following the Palaszczuk Government’s $2 billion cut to infrastructure in 2015-16.

“Private infrastructure investment is also down by half a billion dollars compared to this time last year.”

Mr Nicholls said Queensland was falling behind on most economic measures and the Labor Government had no plan to turn things around.

“Queensland is leading the nation in job losses while almost 90,000 people have stopped looking for work since the beginning of the year because things are getting too tough,” he said.

“We’re also leading the nation in business bankruptcies and days lost to strike action, while wages growth is amongst the worst in the country.

“This is sobering news going into Christmas and it’s yet more proof Queenslanders deserve better.”

• LNP Opposition welcomes $21 billion Carmichael mine and the thousands of jobs it will create after two years of delays and uncertainty under Labor
• Labor has been dragged kicking and screaming to support the project – any attempt to take credit is an absolute sham
• Annastacia Palaszczuk must guarantee these jobs will go to local workers – otherwise she has failed Queenslanders again

The LNP Opposition welcomes the $21 billion Carmichael mine and the rich vein of jobs that will flow for thousands of Queenslanders, but is disappointed Annastacia Palaszczuk has taken two years to come to the party.

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said in the two years it had taken for Labor to get their act into gear, there could have been thousands of jobs created and hundreds of millions of dollars of royalties coming into Queensland.

“Today’s announcement is sweet because of the thousands of jobs it’s promising to regional Queenslanders, but it’s bitter because it’s taken two years for Annastacia Palaszczuk to come to the party,” Mr Nicholls said.

“Labor has been dragged kicking and screaming to support this project and any attempt to claim credit for it is an absolute sham.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk says these jobs won’t go to 457 Visa holders but admits there’s no written guarantee from Adani to ensure jobs go to local workers.

“I would have thought a written commitment would be wise to guarantee we can deliver these jobs to those who need them most.

“Queenslanders deserve a guarantee from Annastacia Palaszczuk on these jobs– anything less and she has failed them again. “

Shadow Mines Minister, Andrew Cripps, said as recently as three weeks ago the Palaszczuk Labor Government was still putting roadblocks in the way of this vital project, all to secure inner-city Green votes.

“Just a few weeks ago, the LNP led the charge in State Parliament to ensure this project wouldn’t be held up by further red tape from Labor,” Mr Cripps said.

“When we came into Government in 2012, this project had been languishing for years under the Bligh Government.

“We moved immediately to progress a Galilee Basin Development Strategy and the Coordinator-General’s Environmental Impact Statement process to get this project off the ground as quickly as possible.

“The LNP has been unwavering in its support for this project – it’s a shame Annastacia Palaszczuk and her Government have taken so long to see the big picture.”

• Impact of Aurizon’s loss of Glencore rail haulage contract will be felt most greatly in Hughenden with the loss of 26 train drivers based in the town.
• The job loss equates to 2.25% of Hughenden’s population – equivalent to 47,000 people from Brisbane losing their jobs
• State Development Minister must consider ways to help Hughenden now and into the future

Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for State Development Deb Frecklington is calling on Labor’s Minister for State Development Anthony Lynham to help Hughenden in the wake of Aurizon’s rail haulage contract loss.

Ms Frecklington said while the impact of job losses across the region would be significant, the biggest impact would be felt at Hughenden, where 26 Aurizon train drivers were currently based.

“The region has just been through a disastrous four years of drought and now it’s being hit again with substantial job losses,” Ms Frecklington said.

“If the equivalent amount of job losses were taking place in Brisbane, there would be 47,000 people out of work, that’s how much this announcement will affect Hughenden.

“I have personally spoken to Flinders Shire Mayor Jane McNamara who is extremely worried about the effect this will have on the Hughenden community and economy.

“On behalf of the Hughenden community, I am calling on the Labor Government, in particular the Minister for State Development Anthony Lynham to consider what can be done to support Hughenden through this very rough time and into the future.

“I’m asking the Palasczcuk Government to seriously consider increased water allocations from the Flinders River for irrigated agriculture – and an urgent funding injection for local roads.

“There’s also immediate work that can be undertaken in regional control of prickly acacia to the productivity of grazing country.

“There needs to be immediate action in the area to support the Hughenden community and the surrounding region.”

• “Jobs for the boys” as Labor appoints union mates to board of Queensland Building and Construction Commission
• Move is a slap in the face for the Queensland construction sector and all homeowners
• Union hacks will ensure a return to outdated policies and bloody-minded attitudes that have plagued the building and construction sector for decades

The stacking of the Queensland Building Construction Commission (QBCC) with Labor lackeys by Palaszczuk Government Housing Minister Mick de Brenni was a disgrace and a slap in the face for the state’s construction sector and ordinary homeowners the LNP said today.

LNP Shadow Housing and Public Works Minister Stephen Bennett said the appointment of former State ALP president and ETU boss Dick Williams as chair, and former Minister Robert Schwarten to the QBCC board was unprecedented and a blatant case of jobs for Labor mates.

“De Brenni’s actions are a disgrace and will cost Queenslanders dearly, and still Annastacia Palaszczuk stands by and lets the unions and the factions run this state,” Mr Bennett said.

“The QBCC plays a critical role as the building industry’s regulator, licensing contractors, resolving defective building work disputes and providing insurance to protect ordinary Queensland homeowners from dodgy work and practices.

“The QBCC is not Minister de Brenni’s personal plaything for bestowing jobs to Labor hacks and his union mates.

“Neither Dick Williams or Robert Schwarten have any building and construction industry experience. This is a government run by union thugs for union thugs.

“With the board now stacked with Labor lackeys we can expect the overturn of commonsense reforms made by the previous LNP government and a return to outdated policies and bloody-minded attitudes that plagued the building and construction sectors for decades under successive Labor governments.”

Mr Bennett said the return of former Minister Robert Schwarten is particularly disturbing given his key role as the IT Minister who presided over the single biggest failure of public administration in Australia’s history.

“Under Schwarten’s watch, Labor’s health payroll debacle cost Queensland taxpayers more than $1.25 billion with current and former staff still being chased for ‘over-payments’ some six years later,” he said.

“Right to the end of his ministerial career Schwarten denied any responsibility for the payroll debacle, blaming high-paid public servants for the mess - and now he gets a plum gig handed to him by his mate Mick de Brenni.

“There are also serious questions about potential conflicts of interests of other members of de Brenni’s new board - especially their on-going roles in construction sector unions and other union links.

"Queensland deserves so much better than this union-led nonsense.”

• Annastacia Palaszczuk must assure regional blue-collar workers she won’t sell them out
• Labor and Greens alliance is dangerous for Queensland’s future prosperity
• Labor plan would result in mass job losses and would decimate regional economies

Deputy Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington says Annastacia Palaszczuk must assure regional blue-collar workers she will not sell them out in exchange for inner-city green preferences.

Ms Frecklington said reports Federal Labor and the Greens had jumped into bed with each other again and conspired to shut down the state’s coal-fired power generators were alarming.

“These people simply don’t have a clue,” Ms Frecklington said.

“Labor have obviously not learned the lesson of their disastrous carbon tax.

“Labor, now in cahoots with their Green buddies, are advocating the forced closure of coal-fired power stations – a move that would see electricity prices go through the roof.”

Ms Frecklington, who spoke about the issue in Queensland Parliament yesterday, said such a policy would be absolutely disastrous for Queensland, especially regional communities.

“It would have disastrous impacts across the entire economy and would result in mass job losses,” she said.

“No thought has gone into the fact that coal-fired power generators account for nearly three-quarters of the state’s power.

“Obviously Labor and the Greens want to go back to the caveman days where people are rubbing two sticks together to get a little bit of warmth.”

Ms Frecklington said the LNP supported an evidence-based approach to the transition to renewables.

“As the representative of one of the regions with so much to lose from this ideological stupidity, I am not going to let this go quietly,” she said.

“Unlike Labor we will not sell out the thousands of workers at these stations - or the many businesses which rely on efficient and affordable energy - in a desperate bid to stitch up green votes in Brisbane.”

• Over 50,000 working days lost to strike action in Queensland in the past year – the most time lost in any state
• Half of all working days lost due to strikes across Australia in 2016 happened right here in Queensland
• Queenslanders will pay more for houses and units because Palaszczuk Government turns a blind eye to union bullying and intimidation

Latest ABS statistics on industrial disputation show the do-nothing Palaszczuk Labor Government has allowed Queensland to record the highest rates of industrial action in Australia.

Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Jarrod Bleijie, said all Queenslanders were paying for Labor’s failure to address union bullying and intimidation on Queensland worksites.

“Only yesterday we saw 700 CFMEU members down tools, walk off the job and shut down the streets of Brisbane in yet another arrogant display of union power – and yet again Annastacia Palaszczuk did nothing,” Mr Bleijie said.

“Over the September quarter there were almost 14,000 working days lost due to strike action in Queensland and almost 53,000 working days lost for the past year.

“Sadly, Queensland is again leading the nation on every single measure related to union activity because Annastacia Palaszczuk is running a protection racket for union bosses.

“In the last year, half of all working days lost due to strike action across Australia happened right here in Queensland.”

Mr Bleijie said Queenslanders ended up paying every time the Palaszczuk Labor Government turned a blind eye to spurious strike action from its union mates.

“Every time union members take long lunches, walk off the job, and threaten construction companies and their employees, it drives up the costs of units and houses for Queenslanders,” he said.

“That’s not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars added to the costs of government construction – such as Commonwealth Games facilities - that will end up coming from the pockets of Queensland taxpayers.

“Today’s ABS statistics are a sad and costly indictment on the Palaszczuk Labor Government and are proof in black and white that unions are being allowed to run riot in Queensland.”

• Labor passes laws allowing them to tax Queenslanders for shiny new tunnel
• It has taken Labor’s quasi leader Jackie Trad two years to get her pet project off the ground
• Queenslanders will be slugged $16 billion in new taxes to fund Cross River Rail

Deputy Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington says the Palaszczuk Labor Government has a secret dirty plan to tax Queenslanders to help fund a shiny new tunnel in the state’s capital.

Ms Frecklington said it had taken quasi-Labor leader Jackie Trad almost two years to get her pet project off the ground and even then she was two months late delivering the statutory authority.

“Ms Trad was caught out during Estimates when the LNP revealed that Labor’s stated $5.4 billion costs for Cross River Rail only included the tunnel,” Ms Frecklington said.

“Ms Trad had forgotten the trains! A total stuff-up and a clear indication she had no plan on how to fill the large financial black hole of Cross River Rail.

“But it gets better – Ms Trad also forgot the operating costs and the costs of works to other stations to support the Cross River Rail project.

“These hidden costs have blown out the price-tag of the project out to more than $16 billion, and Labor’s only plan on how to pay for it is to slug Queenslanders with higher taxes, higher public transport fares and land sales.”

Ms Frecklington said it was laughable to think Labor could find the money to fund Cross River Rail.

“Make no mistake about it – this delivery authority is nothing but another bureaucratic behemoth,” she said.

“This Bill allows the “delivery authority” boss and other staff competitive market salaries outside of the restrictions of public service pay scales.

“There are numerous departmental heads in the public service who are paid more than $500,000 a year. It is staggering Labor must offer higher salaries than this to oversee a “delivery authority” for a project that is unfunded.

“It is clear that Labor has again lost touch with reality.”

• Labor passes laws allowing them to tax south-east Queensland home owners to fund Cross River Rail
• It has taken Labor’s quasi leader Jackie Trad two years to get her pet project off the ground
• South-east Queenslanders will be slugged $16 billion via a host of new taxes to fund Cross River Rail

Deputy Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington says residents across south-east Queensland face brand new taxes and charges to fund Labor’s Cross River Rail project.

Ms Frecklington said it had taken quasi-Labor leader Jackie Trad almost two years to get her pet project off the ground and even then she was two months late delivering the statutory authority – despite Annastacia Palaszczuk saying this project was shovel ready in 2013.

“These hidden costs have blown out the price-tag of this project to more than $16 billion and south-east Queensland home owners will be slugged with higher taxes, higher public transport fares and land sales to fund it,” Ms Frecklington said.

“Ms Trad was caught out during Estimates when the LNP revealed that Labor’s stated $5.4 billion costs for Cross River Rail only included the tunnel.

“Ms Trad had forgotten the trains! A total stuff-up and a clear indication she had no plan on how to fill the large financial black hole of Cross River Rail.

“But it gets better – Ms Trad also forgot the operating costs and the costs of works to other stations to support the Cross River Rail project.”

Ms Frecklington said in typical Labor fashion – taxpayers would be forced to foot the bill for their unfunded thought bubble.

“Labor’s business case they went to lengths to keep secret includes six secret taxes,” she said.

“Those taxes include a new congestion tax paid for by motorists, a new motor vehicle registration levy and increased land tax on nearby property owners.

“It also includes a new public transport infrastructure tax, a new ticket surcharge paid for public transport users and higher rates on nearby property owners.

“This Labor Government needs to be honest with south-east Queenslanders and stop treating them like an ATM.”

Ms Frecklington said Ms Trad was hiding behind the delivery authority and would not come clean on the project’s true cost or the raft of sneaky secret taxes she plans to impose on south-east Queenslanders.

“Make no mistake about it – this delivery authority is nothing but another bureaucratic behemoth,” she said.

“This Bill also allows the delivery authority boss and other staff competitive market salaries outside of the restrictions of public service pay scales.

“There are numerous departmental heads in the public service who are paid more than $500,000 a year.

“It is staggering Labor must offer higher salaries than this to oversee a delivery authority for a project that is unfunded.

“It is clear that Labor has once again lost touch with reality.”