Queenslanders invited to sign petition demanding Labor and crossbench support LNP’s expanded Cost of Living Inquiry
Will Miles continue as the “Pretend Premier” or will he front-up on cost of living?
The LNP is ramping up its campaign to ease the Queensland Cost of Living Crisis with an expanded Parliamentary Inquiry, launching a petition calling for cost of living relief.
It follows the LNP’s announcement it will expand the Cost of Living Inquiry to consider State Government cost impacts on Queenslanders, including electricity, insurance, water and transport.
The LNP’s plan will hold both the big supermarkets and this decade-old Labor Government accountable for the crippling cost of living impacts facing families.
Shadow Minister for Energy and Cost of Living Deb Frecklington said the Queensland Cost of Living Crisis was paralysing families who were struggling to make ends meet.
“Today, Steven Miles needs to explain if he will continue being the Pretend Premier, or if he will finally front-up on cost of living,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Families are buckling under rising costs and today they deserve an answer about whether Labor will block cost of living support.
“Of course the Big Supermarkets should be held to account, but Queenslanders also expect their government to be accountable for their role in cost of living pressure.
“As we travel the State, cost of living pressure is the number one issue raised with the LNP.
“Queenslanders know Labor’s chaos and crisis has driven-up costs in electricity, water, insurance and transport.
“Steven Miles thinks Queenslanders are ‘dumb’ if they’re struggling with the crippling cost of living pressures.
“Queenslanders deserve to be heard, not denigrated by their Premier.
“That’s why the LNP has stepped-up, where Labor has failed to act, expanding the Cost of Living Inquiry to consider State Government’s role in skyrocketing costs.
“Will Labor continue to hide behind the Big Supermarkets, or will they join the LNP and act to ease the Queensland Cost of Living Crisis?
“It is critical big supermarkets are held to account for how they’re driving-up cost of living, but so too does Steven Miles and Labor.”
Queenslanders can sign the petition at: https://queensland.typeform.com/CoLInquiry
The LNP’s expansion to the Cost of Living Committee Terms of Inquiry include:
Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including saving you paying for Labor’s failures.
The LNP has held the 37th Queensland Health Crisis Town Hall in Ipswich today.
Just like it did when it held a Health Crisis Town Hall in the city two years ago, the concerns and stories of Ipswich locals will be taken to the floor of State Parliament.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli, Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates and the LNP’s candidate for Ipswich West Darren Zanow attended the forum along with 50 local patients and health professionals.
Lauren Hansford, whose father Wayne died after waiting three hours on an ambulance stretcher at Ipswich Hospital, was among those to attend the forum and demand change.
Ipswich Hospital has the second highest ambulance ramping rate in Queensland, with 60 per cent of patients who arrive in ambulances waiting more than half an hour for treatment.
Mr Crisafulli said he was determined to show the people of Ipswich that there is a better way.
“Today we listened to brave Ipswich locals share their experiences about the Queensland Health Crisis,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“We heard from Queenslanders who have lost loved ones on the ramp at the local hospital and some that have been waiting for vital surgery for years.
“Labor’s chaos and crisis has seen them forget about this great community.
“Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including driving-down ambulance ramping and healthcare waitlists.
"We’ll provide better resources and triaging, share data in real-time and put doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.
“Easier access to health services is our priority, because it’s Queenslanders’ priority.”
“I want this city to know there is a better way and a vote for Darren Zanow in the upcoming by-election will send Labor a message.
“Thank you to every brave Queenslander who attended our forum today.”
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said Ipswich Hospital was ground-zero for the Queensland Health Crisis under Labor.
“Ipswich Hospital is flatlining, with the worst ED performance in the State and second-worst ambulance ramping,” Ms Bates said.
“Today we listened to the impact of Labor's fake announcements and false promises to this community.
“We heard from a family who lost a loved one due to ambulance ramping.
“Fixing these problems should have been Labor’s priority but they’ve been consumed by their own chaos and crisis.
“The Queensland Health Crisis isn’t the fault of our hardworking frontline doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals.
“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how overstretched and under-resourced our hospitals have become.
“Queensland’s Health Crisis gets worse the longer Labor is in government and nothing will change until we change the Government at the October election.”
LNP candidate for Ipswich Darren Zanow said he was determined to drive the change his community was calling for.
“My community has borne the brunt of Labor’s chaos and crisis for too long,” Mr Zanow said.
“After a decade of the Palaszczuk-Miles Government, health services in Ipswich can no longer cater for our community.
“Today’s harrowing stories show just how much the Queensland Health Crisis has impacted Ipswich.
“Labor has taken our community for granted and their health failures have cost lives.
“Ipswich West can send Labor a message in the by-election next month: we won’t be taken for granted any longer.”
Labor prioritises their own political safety over safety of Queenslanders
Today, the Palaszczuk-Miles Government has failed another critical integrity test, refusing to release promised Youth Justice data.
In February 2023, the Palaszczuk-Miles Government promised to release data every six months on three critical youth crime metrics.
Today, the Palaszczuk-Miles Government trashed that promise by releasing completely different metrics because they didn't like how the promised ones made them look.
In the middle of the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis, Labor has deliberately dodged publishing critical data about youth criminals.
Far from delivering on a promise to be open and transparent, this is another broken promise from a government who is more interested in playing politics than protecting Queenslanders.
Today, Queenslanders are still waiting for this promise to be fulfilled.
REOFFENDING RATES
PROMISE: The percentage of juveniles between the ages of 10 and 16 who reoffend.
THE GOVERNMENT RELEASED: The rate of young people aged 10 to 17 years who have contact with Youth Justice, per 10,000 population.
VERDICT: FAIL – They have released a different metric that does not show the reoffending rate.
The latest Australian Productivity Commission data shows 68.6% of youth offenders reoffend within 12 months, up from 56.6% just one year earlier. The Government has today refused to release this data to Queenslanders.
SOURCE: Productivity Commission Report on Government Services 2024.
SERIOUS REPEAT OFFENDERS
PROMISE: The number of serious repeat offenders.
THE GOVERNMENT RELEASED: A percentage of youth offenders who had received a court declaration.
VERDICT: FAIL – This does not show how many hardcore youth offenders there are in Queensland. After serious repeat youth offenders had skyrocketed from 10% to 17%, the Government invented a new measure to cover their failures, using the new court declarations rather than the consistent proportion of all offenders.
Across the 2022/23 Financial Year there was a total of 656 Serious Repeat Offenders, or an average of 461 daily offenders. These numbers have risen each year and Queenslanders deserve to know what the true numbers now are.
The Government has today refused to provide updated data for either figure.
SOURCE: Youth Justice Committee briefing papers one and two.
INDIGENOUS CHILDREN IN DETENTION
PROMISE: The rate of Indigenous young people in detention per 10,000.
THE GOVERNMENT RELEASED: Average daily number of young people in detention centres, rate per 10,000 population, by indigenous status.
VERDICT: FAILED TO MEET KPI - in the past year, the rate of Indigenous children in detention has increased from 46.0 to 46.3 children per 10,000.
Labor is running from their record, while youth criminals are running free in our community.
This is data the Government measures and collates, but today they have deliberately hidden the truth from Queenslanders.
This is a government with the wrong priorities.
Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s future, including transparent and open release of data for Government accountability.
Steven Miles has today announced major cuts to the critical Sunshine Coast heavy passenger rail project.
Residents on the Sunshine Coast or anyone who has been stuck in traffic on the Bruce Highway will not forgive Steven Miles for this farce.
The project has been slashed with Steven Miles tearing up two-thirds of the planned tracks to Maroochydore and its completion has exploded beyond any reasonable timeline.
This is an extraordinary broken promise and proves Labor are in a constant state of chaos and crisis.
The chaotic leadership of Steven Miles has reached new farcical levels today with his desperate attempts to dupe Queenslanders about Labor’s track record regarding the heavy rail line to Maroochydore.
After a decade in power the only thing the Palaszczuk-Miles Labor Government has done is cut the project and consigned Caloundra to becoming a car park.
The Labor Party under Steven Miles has completely given up on governing and are spending all their energy and money on blatant electioneering.
The LNP under the leadership of David Crisafulli committed to the project years ago to lock in the guaranteed funding of the former Federal Government while Labor were playing politics.
It would have seen the project delivered the full length to Maroochydore via Beerwah, Caloundra and Kawana.
Steven Miles might think he can take Queenslanders for a ride but Labor’s track record is there for all to see.
Steven Miles believes he can take Queenslanders for a ride but Queenslanders know the Labor Government has run off the rails.
Only the LNP have the right priorities for Queensland’s future and can deliver heavy rail to Maroochydore as planned and promised.
OFF TARGET
Police numbers go backward, despite promise for 500 overseas recruits
Labor has been caught-out failing to deliver on another police promise today, in the middle of the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis.
Police Minister Mark Ryan’s commitment to recruit 500 international sworn police officers to Queensland in a year has collapsed.
Under Labor’s constant state of chaos and crisis, with reports just 57 recruits, or barely 10% of the target have been met in the past 12 months.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the Palaszczuk-Miles Government continued to make promises they couldn’t keep.
“The thin blue line keeps getting thinner,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“This was a commitment made 365 days ago and today we learn barely 10% of Labor’s target has been met.
“Our police are under more pressure than ever before, because of Labor’s weak laws and failing police numbers.
“We want the men and women who proudly wear the blue uniform to know there is a better way.
“If the government changes in October, things will get better.
“We will value our hardworking frontline police, we will improve the rotten culture by giving them the resources and laws they need to do their job.”
Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said broken promises would not attract more police.
“Mark Ryan needs to go,” Mr Bleijie said.
“Mark Ryan and Labor needs to take responsibility for Queensland’s thinning blue line.
“Labor’s constant state of chaos and crisis is costing Queenslanders.
“Premier Miles will say and do anything to get elected in October.
“Queenslanders are sick of Labor’s fake promises, missed targets and failure to follow-through.
“Only the LNP has the right priorities for Queensland’s future and that includes making our community safer.
“We will re-write the Youth Justice Act and remove detention as a last resort.”
Statement by Deb Frecklington, Shadow Minister for Cost of Living
Out-of-touch Premier caught misleading Queensland
While Queenslanders struggle under weight of Labor's chaos and crisis
I am appalled by the childish, ignorant and misleading comments made by Premier Steven Miles regarding Queensland’s Cost of Living inquiry.
Steven Miles is now a Premier who laughs at crime victims and thinks Queenslanders struggling to pay their bills are “dumb”.
For Steven Miles to flippantly disregard Queenslanders who are struggling under soaring bills as “dumb” is appalling.
Queenslanders who are choosing whether to keep the lights on or put food on the table aren’t “dumb”.
Queenslanders who this year can’t pay for their children’s weekend sport aren’t “dumb”.
Businesses who are drowning and closing their doors because of skyrocketing electricity bills aren’t “dumb”.
Farmers absorbing rising water and electricity costs aren’t “dumb”.
The family and business who just copped a massive jump in their insurance premiums because young thugs stole their cars under Labor’s weak laws aren’t “dumb”.
If the Pretend Premier focused less on political trickery and more on doing his job then perhaps Queenslanders wouldn’t have copped the biggest jump in power bills in the nation – triple the national average – on Labor’s watch.
Why wouldn’t Steven Miles want the Cost of Living Inquiry to be expanded to the things his Government controls?
In the formal letter sent to Steven Miles it explicitly states:
“While the big supermarkets must absolutely be held to account, the most critical drivers of the Queensland Cost of Living Crisis must also be put under the microscope in the Inquiry, including those the State Government is responsible for.”
Queenslanders are learning fast Steven Miles isn’t up to the job and now he’s demonstrated just how out of touch he is with Queenslanders and how he does not appreciate the real pressures they are facing due to the failures of the Palaszczuk-Miles Labor Government.
Queenslanders are paying the price for Labor’s chaos and crisis.
Stop your tricks Steven and start getting serious about your job and the things you are meant to do in Queensland’s Cost of Living Crisis.
Queenslanders deserve so much better.
Mark Ryan has deliberately misled Queenslanders on police numbers
He must follow Katarina Carroll out the door
It is untenable for Mark Ryan to remain Police Minister after deliberately misleading Queenslanders over police numbers.
Mark Ryan has repeatedly been caught red-handed in blue lies.
Police are leaving in record numbers and Mark Ryan has denied it time after time.
On the government’s own data, police numbers have fallen by a staggering 322 in just 18 short months, in the middle of the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis.
This is despite Labor’s promise at the last election to deliver 1450 additional police.
As Minister, Mark Ryan has claimed falling police numbers was “just a big fat lie” and was “made up”.
How can a Minister who can’t be trusted to tell the truth, be trusted to end the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis?
Even police whistle-blowers have come forward to the LNP, because they are appalled with Mark Ryan’s blue lies.
Mark Ryan’s credibility is in tatters and he must go.
Mark Ryan delivered weak laws and fewer police that put Queensland in the grip of this youth crime crisis.
With the Police Commissioner departing, so to must Mark Ryan, or the chaos of the Youth Crime Crisis will continue.
Statement by Deb Frecklington, Shadow Minister for Cost of Living
Will Pretend Premier Steven Miles stand with Queenslanders?
Today, the LNP has launched its Cost of Living Campaign in Townsville, after formally writing to the Premier with its plan to expand the Parliamentary Inquiry.
Premier Steven Miles needs to explain why he would not want the Parliamentary Inquiry to investigate cost-pressures the Government has influence over.
The LNP’s plan to lift the lid on crippling cost of living pressures, includes investigating why electricity, insurance, water and transport costs have all skyrocketed under Labor, and what can be done to drive-down costs.
Today, the Pretend Premier Steven Miles has several questions to answer.
Queenslanders are struggling to pay the kitchen table big bills under Labor and they’re crying out for relief.
Steven Miles announced a big supermarkets inquiry, knowing full-well he wasn’t looking at the costs his government influences.
By refusing to look at electricity, insurance, water and transport, the Pretend Premier is refusing to stand on the side of Queenslanders.
The big supermarkets absolutely need to be held accountable for driving-up costs for families, but so too does this decade-old Labor Government.
Will Steven Miles continue to stand behind the big supermarkets, or will he stand up for Queenslanders struggling to pay their bills?
COST OF LIVING CRISIS: LNP to expand Cost of Living Inquiry
What do Steven Miles and the big supermarkets have in common?
They only care about themselves, they don’t care about you, they’re bad for cost of living and both must be held accountable for their actions
The LNP has today announced it will expand Queensland’s Cost of Living Inquiry to assess State Government impacts on the kitchen table big bills and help ease the Queensland Cost of Living Crisis.
Following CPI revelations Queensland is facing the worst cost of living pressures in the nation, the LNP has moved to put Government impacts on cost of living under a microscope including electricity, transport, insurance and water.
To expand the Inquiry’s scope, the LNP also announced today it would be negotiating with crossbench Parliamentarians, to secure their support, and amend the Select Committee’s Terms of Reference.
Steven Miles announced a big supermarkets inquiry, knowing full-well he wasn’t looking at the things his government controls.
Supermarkets absolutely need to be held accountable, but so does this decade-old Labor Government that’s driving-up cost of living pressures on Queenslanders.
The LNP’s expansion to the Cost of Living Select Committee Terms of Inquiry include:
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the LNP was taking action to ease cost pressures after the Palaszczuk-Miles Government had overseen the worst cost-pressures in the nation.
“The LNP is stepping up to deliver cost relief by examining why costs are skyrocketing under this Government and how we can ease them,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Queenslanders are crying out for cost relief and the LNP has been listening.
“Electricity, transport, insurance, and water prices have all soared under Labor and Queenslanders need cost-relief not more cost rises.
“Alarmingly, Labor excluded the most critical drivers of the Queensland Cost of Living Crisis from examination in the Inquiry.
“Queenslanders expect their Government to do everything in its power to drive down costs, not be the reason cost of living is skyrocketing.
“Where Labor has failed, we are acting to help deliver the cost of living relief Queenslanders deserve.”
Shadow Minister for Energy and Cost of Living Deb Frecklington said an Inquiry that failed to hold a mirror up to the State Government’s impact on costs would be failing Queenslanders.
“Both Steven Miles and the big supermarkets must be held accountable, but accountability comes from shining a light on Government’s role in cost escalations,” Ms Frecklington said.
“It will be up to the crossbench to decide where they stand.
“On one side is Steven Miles standing with the big supermarkets, on the other side is Queenslanders drowning under the cost of living crisis and Labor.
“Queenslanders know Steven Miles and the big supermarkets have four things in common.
“They don’t care about you, they only care about themselves, they’re bad for cost of living and they must be held accountable for their actions.
“In just one year Queenslanders’ power bills have skyrocketed a whopping 20 per cent, triple the national average, after our major power plant at Callide has been offline for nearly three years, with Labor failing to fix it.
“Labor can either support expanding the Cost of Living Inquiry or explain to Queenslanders why they’re standing in the way of cost of living relief.
“Now is the time to step-up or get out of the way to allow the LNP to take action.
“Refusing to listen and examine these impacts will show Labor has the wrong priorities and is more interested in grabbing another headline than delivering the cost of living relief Queenslanders urgently need.
“Queenslanders can’t afford for Labor’s constant state of chaos and crisis to stand in the way of easing the Queensland Cost of Living Crisis.”
The LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including saving you paying for Labor’s failures.
Statement by Deb Frecklington, Shadow Minister ofr Energy
It has been 1000 days since Callide went down and Queenslanders’ power bills went up.
This is an unwanted milestone from a State Labor Government that’s in chaos and crisis.
For 1000 days Labor Minister Mick De Brenni claimed he had no idea what happened at Callide power plant.
In the past two years he met CS Energy 25 times.
While Labor was focused on keeping Queenslanders in the dark, Queenslanders' power bills rose by triple the national average – the biggest jumps in the country.
Queenslanders cannot trust Labor in a cost of living crisis.
Friday 16th February marked two years since the opening of Wellcamp, the worst deal made by Steven Miles in Queensland’s history.
$223 million was wasted on the facility that Queenslanders didn’t even own and was barely used, before the keys were handed back to the private owners.
Steven Miles, who was responsible for the project, said he had “no regrets”, "it was the right decision” and “we continue to vigorously defend it”.
Wellcamp was a political game of get-square with the Federal Government.
Wellcamp was never about what was in the best interests of Queenslanders.
Two years on, the man who gave us Wellcamp, is in now in the big seat.
How can Queenslanders trust anything Steven Miles does is in Queenslanders’ interests rather than his own political interest?
Steven Miles is unapologetic for flushing $223 million down the proverbial toilet, rather than using it to deliver cost of living relief to Queenslanders.
Queenslanders deserve better than a Premier that’s happy to waste $223 million on political games.
Wellcamp remains a window into Labor’s constant state of chaos and crisis in the Miles Palaszczuk Government.
Since Labor's "wastecamp" debacle, nothing has changed. This is still a government more interested in their own political future than Queensland’s future.
Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including saving you paying for Labor’s failures.
Year 12 completion rates plummet under Labor
Alarming new Australian Bureau of Statistics data has exposed Queensland’s Year 12 completion rates have plummeted under the Queensland Labor Government.
Shockingly, just 73% of students are completing Year 12, down from 85% since Labor came to government in 2015.
The longer Labor is in government, the worse our education outcomes become.
These shocking results are another sign Labor is losing control of the education system and failing to deliver the world-class education our students deserve.
On Labor’s watch, fewer students are completing high school.
Labor’s Education Report Card is in, and they have failed in every subject:
Queensland students are paying a high price for Labor’s wrong priorities.
Labor’s chaos and crisis is pulling teachers out of the classroom.
Labor’s chaos and crisis has delivered a teacher shortage and failing education system.
This is what happens when a government fails to properly resource and manage our education system year after year.
Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including boosting student-to-teacher ratios and de-cluttering the curriculum so teachers can teach.
Lifting literacy and numeracy outcomes is the LNP’s priority, because it’s Queenslanders’ priority.
Labor denies transparency for Committee Chair diaries
Steven Miles has failed his first integrity test as Premier.
On the very day the Parliament is debating an Integrity Bill, he has undermined the integrity of Parliament.
In an extraordinary move, the Premier has refused to release the diaries of Parliament’s powerful Committee Chairs.
Today, the LNP moved to require Committee Chairs to publish monthly diary disclosures.
However, Labor blocked this transparency measure, to keep Queenslanders in the dark.
Committee Chairs wield enormous power over the creation of laws for this State.
Committee Chairs have the power to silence the voice of stakeholders in public hearings.
Committee Chairs rule over the critical accountability measure of Budget Estimates hearings.
Committee Chairs hold powerful influence, yet the influences on these influencers will be kept secret.
Meetings with Trade Unions, activist groups, big business and community advocates seeking policy outcomes will all remain secret under this Premier.
Committee Chairs will not be required to declare meetings with lobbyists who are attempting to influence the very legislation the Chairs have power over.
Today’s integrity failure proves nothing has changed: Labor is more interested in tricky political games than restoring integrity in Government.
This is the same rotten Labor Government found to rule with a culture of fear over the public service and covering-up political influence.
If the Premier, Ministers, Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Ministers are all subject to diary disclosures, so too should Committee Chairs.
Mark Bailey is now a Committee Chair, earning the same money as a Shadow Minister, and despite his clouded history with secret meetings and emails, Labor is trashing integrity to keep his diaries secret.
If Premier Miles values integrity, he will disclose Committee Chairs diaries.
This Labor Government has the wrong priorities and is in a constant state of chaos and crisis.
Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including working harder for Queenslanders.
Cover-up of Labor’s Jobs for Mates Scandal
CCC review circumvents Parliamentary Committee
Designed to keep Queenslanders in the dark until after election
Labor’s CCC delay tactics are a disgraceful attempt to keep Queenslanders in the dark on their Jobs for Mates Scandal.
Despite knowing for a year about the possibility of a loophole, Labor failed to act.
In September, the High Court handed down its ruling, which would prevent the CCC from releasing its report into the Jackie Trad saga.
In October, the LNP introduced its Bill to fix the Crime and Corruption Act and restore the integrity body’s ability to release critical integrity reports.
Since October, Labor has put this Bill on the go-slow, with no intention to enact it.
Make no mistake, Labor could have acted on this months ago and the Premier could have acted on it this week in Parliament.
Instead, today the Premier has shown he does not value integrity.
An external review, which will do what the Committee process is already doing with the LNP’s Bill, is simply another delay tactic.
This is also a clear signal about the complete and utter disregard Labor has for Parliamentary process.
Labor is happy to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars on a review to circumvent the Parliamentary Committee process and block a Bill to restore power to our integrity body.
Labor has shown it cares more running a political protection racket for Jackie Trad than Government integrity.
By failing to bring forward debate on the LNP’s Bill, Steven Miles has shown he is no different from Annastacia Palaszczuk.
This Labor Government has the wrong priorities and is in a constant state of chaos and crisis.
Queenslanders are paying a high price for Labor’s political trickery.
Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including open and accountable government.
Premier proves he’s all talk, no action
Labor’s actions a major affront to Youth Crime Crisis victims
In an extraordinary turn of events, today the Labor Government used its Parliamentary majority to quash major youth crime reform Queenslanders have been campaigning for.
Despite the Premier claiming to backflip on transparency for court proceedings, Labor has unapologetically denied Queenslanders new laws to tackle the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis.
The youth crime reforms Labor has today blocked include:
Shadow Minister for Youth Justice Laura Gerber said Labor had again proved it was soft on crime and could only deliver empty promises.
“Queenslanders have been crying out for youth crime reform to put an end to the crisis tearing communities apart, and today Labor used its power to shut down reform,” Ms Gerber said.
“Youth crime has never been worse in Queensland and the longer Labor is in government, the worse it gets.
“Shamefully, Labor today blocked sensible, practical crime laws to fix the Youth Crime Crisis they created.
“What’s worse, blocking the reopening of the Children’s Court is another Labor backflip on a backflip, after they were the ones to close the Children’s Courts in the first place.
“Labor closed the Children’s Court in 2016 and today they could have reopened them.
"The LNP has been fighting to reopen the Children's Courts for some time and today, despite the Premier promising to adopt our policy he failed to back-up his words with action.
“Instead, Labor chose politics above people, using their numbers to unapologetically shut down debate on youth crime.
“This Government’s wrong priorities, fewer police and weaker laws created the Youth Crime Crisis.
“They don’t want to listen and they want to ignore the crisis that’s tearing Queensland communities apart.
“Their constant state of chaos and crisis has again stood in the way of doing what’s right for Queenslanders.
“The LNP will not give up on Queenslanders, we have listened and our priority is making our community safer.
“It’s clear the only way to end the Youth Crime Crisis is to change the government.
“The LNP’s key priorities include increasing the number of police on the beat through retention and attraction, restoring consequence for action at the heart of the Youth Justice Act, diverting young lives from crime by reforming Early Intervention, and fixing the broken Child Safety and Residential Care systems to prevent vulnerable kids heading down a path of crime.”
COST OF LIVING COP OUT
For nearly 1000 days Labor Minister Mick De Brenni claimed he had no idea what happened at Callide power plant.
In the past two years he met CS Energy 25 times.
Notably, 14 of those meetings were with then CS Energy Chair, Labor powerbroker Jim Soorley.
It is unfathomable that anyone would believe Mick De Brenni's claims that he had no idea what happened at Callide.
While he held the meetings and stayed silent, Queenslanders' power bills rose by triple the national average – the biggest jumps in the country.
Mick De Brenni is misleading Queenslanders or has been derelict in his duties as a Minister.
Queenslanders cannot trust Labor in a cost of living crisis.
994 days on, Queenslanders learn Labor’s failures are to blame
Labor confession only after Court action forces the truth
Today marks 994 days since the Callide C explosion sent Queensland power prices skyrocketing and instead of serious answers, Labor wants Queenslanders to cop a Hollywood movie on Callide.
This Hollywood movie has a simple plotline: Labor is the villain who failed to maintain the Callide power plant.
Power plants don’t explode if maintained properly, but under Labor that’s exactly what happened at Callide.
The release of a politically-sanitised shiny-video is just another attempt from Labor to distract from the truth.
The truth is, only after the Australian Energy Regulator sought to impose fines for Labor’s failures at Callide, Labor has now confessed maintenance failures were to blame.
The truth is, only after the Federal Court appointed a third-party investigator to circumvent Labor’s cover-up, they have begrudgingly confessed the cause.
The jig is up, Labor has clearly been covering-up its Callide failures.
For 994 days Queenslanders have been kept in the dark and still don’t have confidence Labor can keep the lights on.
The Auditor-General and Queensland Competition Authority both confirmed Queensland power prices are higher as a result of Labor’s failure at Callide power plant.
Queensland power bills skyrocketed a staggering 19.9% last year, the worst in the nation, triple the national average.
Today, Queenslanders deserve answers from Minister Mick de Brenni, who claimed he hadn’t seen the Callide report just two weeks ago.
When did Minister de Brenni’s CS Energy first receive Labor’s secret Callide report?
When did CS Energy start producing this Hollywood-movie on Labor’s Callide failures?
Such a blockbuster production would have taken weeks, if not months.
Either Minister de Brenni has been misleading Queenslanders or he isn’t across his brief.
Either option isn’t good enough.
This Labor Government is in a constant state of chaos and crisis, with the wrong priorities.
Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including saving you paying for Labor’s failures.
Introducing a maintenance guarantee for Queensland’s power plants is a priority for the LNP, because it is a priority for Queenslanders.
Labor focused on changing the “narrative” instead of healing the Queensland Health Crisis
Labor caught-out changing health metric “parameters” and removing historic data
Shocking Right to Information revelations have exposed Labor has been secretly changing how Queensland Health data is reported to hide the true extent of the Queensland Health Crisis.
An RTI obtained the LNP Opposition has alarmingly revealed in the middle of the Queensland Health Crisis Labor’s priority has been hiding the truth instead of fixing the critical issues within the health system.
Despite explicitly promising not to change how health data is reported, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman has been caught red-handed changing “parameters” for hospital performance data, hiding previously released data in a direct effort to change the health “narrative”.
Some of the alarming revelations about health data cover-up including:
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said Labor’s actions were indicative of a government in a constant state of chaos and crisis.
“Deliberately deleting data and a sinister focus on changing the story not the system are the symptoms of a rotting Government,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“This is worse than a government caught-up in the wrong priorities, this is a damning disregard for Government integrity.”
Shadow Minister for Health Ros Bates said the actions smacked of a government rotting from the top, prioritising politics above people.
“Labor believes they’re so entitled to remain in power, they’re doing everything possible to hide the truth of the Queensland Health Crisis that’s occurred on their watch,” Ms Bates said.
“Queenslanders deserve to know what’s going on in their hospitals, lives are at stake and Labor is focused on hiding the truth instead of fixing the Queensland Health Crisis.
“Only the LNP has the right priorities for Queensland’s future, including easier access to health services.
“A priority for an LNP government would be making real-time data for our hospitals available within 100 days of election, because only through transparency can we heal the Queensland Health Crisis.”
The Queensland Health Crisis has reached uncharted territory under Labor’s chaos and crisis.
New data for the December quarter shows the worst figures ever recorded for the elective surgery waiting list and the specialist outpatient waiting list.
Ambulance ramping in Queensland remains the worst in the nation, with the rate unchanged at 43%.
The data shows:
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the figures were staggering.
“The Queensland Health Crisis has now reached uncharted territory,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Each one of these dire numbers represents a Queenslander who can’t get the health care they need when they need it most.
“These figures aren’t the fault of our hardworking health workers.
“Responsibility falls at the feet of a decade-old Labor Government which has prioritised announcements over delivery in our health system for too long.
“Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including driving-down ambulance ramping and healthcare waitlists.
"We’ll provide better resources & triaging, share data in real-time and put doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.
“Easier access to health services is our priority, because it’s Queenslanders’ priority.”
Shadow Minister for Health and Registered Nurse Ros Bates said the Queensland Health Crisis was getting worse under Health Minister Shannon Fentiman.
“Shannon Fentiman has made more announcements than anyone but the Queensland Health Crisis just keeps getting worse on her watch,” Ms Bates said.
“This shocking new data shows there are multiple fires burning in Queensland Health due to Labor's chaos and crisis.”
“Queenslanders can’t trust the State Labor Government to fix the Queensland Health Crisis.
“Shannon Fentiman promised the world to Queenslanders, but the results are in - and she’s failed spectacularly.
“After nine years, three terms and four Health Ministers, the State Labor Government has created the Queensland Health Crisis and they don’t have a plan to fix it.
“As a registered nurse and a former hospital administrator, I know our dedicated frontline staff are exhausted and work double shifts to keep the health system on the rails and ensure patient care is the top priority."
Statement by Deb Frecklington, Shadow Minister for Energy
Queenslanders pay more for Labor’s failures
The actions taken today by Australia’s energy regulator with regards to Labor’s catastrophe at Callide power plant further proves Queenslanders are paying for Labor’s failures.
In the middle of Queensland’s cost of living crisis, the seriousness of this development cannot be overstated.
This is like the energy police charging the Queensland Government for it’s crimes at Callide power plant.
We are all paying for Labor’s failures and this is just the latest example in a growing list.
Labor’s failures at Callide have seen energy bills soar in Queensland – rising triple the national average last year alone, the biggest jumps in the country.
Now, taxpayers could pay even more in the form of fines because the Labor Government is in chaos and crisis.
After nearly 1000 days since the failures at Callide, there are so many questions Premier Miles and Mick de Brenni must now answer – because to date all Queenslanders have seen from Labor is cover-ups and incompetence.
Queenslanders are asking again, what happened at Callide? And why is Labor keeping Queenslanders in the dark at a time this Government can’t even keep the lights on?
Something went wrong, Queenslanders’ energy bills have soared and Labor is covering the whole thing up.
The whole Callide saga is literally the definition of Queenslanders paying for Labor’s failures.
Queensland is paying a high price for Labor’s Crime Crisis
Labor closed Queensland’s Children’s Courts when they watered down youth crime laws in 2016.
The legislation and that decision can be found here.
At the time, Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath, crowed about Labor’s actions, claiming closing the Courts was “fair and effective youth justice”:
“The Children’s Court will also be closed when hearing all youth justice matters under the Children’s Court Act 1992.”
“These measures will help protect our community by requiring young people to accept responsibility for their actions and behaviours, and to understand that changing that behaviour is the only way to get their lives back on track.”
For Steven Miles to pretend Labor is not responsible for closing the Courts is another sign he is treating youth crime as a joke.
Even Magistrates are saying they are bound by Labor's laws closing the Children's Courts.
Labor created the Youth Crime Crisis Queenslanders are living today with weak laws and fewer police.
The longer Labor is in power, the worse the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis becomes.
Reopening the Children’s Courts is a priority for the LNP.
Only the LNP has the right priorities for Queensland’s Future, including making our community safer.
QUEENSLAND HOUSING CRISIS:
Labor fails to deliver on promise of 750 Build to Rent units
Latest broken promise after a decade of Labor failures
In the middle of the Queensland Housing Crisis, Labor has been caught red-handed failing to deliver 750 rental homes for Queenslanders in need.
In 2021, Labor promised to deliver 750 Build to Rent units across three projects by late 2023, but today not a single Queenslander is living in the units.
The homes were promised to help ease rent-pressures, but instead, Queensland has suffered the biggest rent-rises of anywhere in the nation, skyrocketing by 9.5% in just one year.
The longer Labor is in government, the worse the Queensland Housing Crisis becomes, with their shocking list of failures including:
Shadow Treasurer David Janetzki said Labor’s latest failed housing promise was an example of a government with the wrong priorities.
“While rents have been skyrocketing in the Housing Crisis, another Labor signature housing announcement has been stuck in the ground,” Mr Janetzki said.
“Labor’s only priority is announcing new housing plans, not delivering the ones they’ve already promised and Queenslanders are paying a high price for these failures.
“How can Queenslanders trust any Labor promise when not a single one of their 750 Build To Rent apartments have been built.
“Despite their many promises, no Queenslander will be sheltered by these projects anytime soon.
“Labor fails to understand that making announcements is not the same as delivering, announcements can’t house Queenslanders.
“Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including securing our housing foundations.
“A priority for the LNP is improving housing affordability with more land supply, to ease the Queensland Housing Crisis.”
91 days since health performance data was last released
Queenslanders still in the dark about overdue hospital data from 4 months ago
Shannon Fentiman must stop hiding the true state of the Queensland Health Crisis and release the latest Hospital Performance Data.
The numbers are now overdue and Queenslanders are still waiting to see health data from as far back as October last year.
After alarming new Productivity Commission data exposed Queenslanders are now waiting the longest in a decade for ambulances in their hour of need, the LNP is demanding Labor release the overdue numbers.
The Productivity Commission revealed wait times for the most urgent and serious ambulance requests have blown-out leaving Queenslanders waiting on the end of a phone line, with deadly results.
Alarmingly, Queensland’s ambulance ramping remains the worst in the nation, and has tripled under Labor:
Queenslanders deserve to know what is happening in their hospitals under Labor’s chaos and crisis.
The longer Labor’s in power, the worse the Queensland Health Crisis becomes.
As long as Labor keeps Queenslanders in the dark, the Queensland Health Crisis will continue.
There must be government accountability through transparency and open data to heal the health crisis.
Shannon Fentiman must release the data today.
In contrast, the LNP has committed to making real-time data for our hospitals available within 100 days of election.
Our priorities to heal the Queensland Health Crisis include better resources, better triaging, sharing data in real-time and putting doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.
Residential Care Review months overdue and hidden by Labor
Sun must shine in on system in crisis
Queensland’s alarming Residential Care crisis continues to deepen the longer Labor are in Government.
In another sign of Labor’s chaos and crisis, the Government’s promised review of the Residential Care system is now months overdue and still hasn’t been released, while new Child Safety data reveals even more children have now been caught up in the broken system.
Alarmingly, the number of children in Residential Care now exceeds 1,800 children, including 315 children under 10 years of age.
Some of the other damning revelations from the Child Safety data include:
Labor must release the report they’ve been keeping under wraps, it can’t become another victim of their chaos and crisis.
Queenslanders were promised the Residential Care review would put a spotlight on the major child safety and youth crime issues.
The review is complete, why is Labor keeping it a secret when so much is at stake?
Queensland now has double the number of kids in Residential Care than any other state or territory.
Residential care should not be the final destination or a catch-all for a failing Child Safety and foster care system.
Residential care should not be a pipeline into a life of crime.
Hiding the Residential Care review shows Labor has the wrong priorities.
Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including reforming the broken Residential Care system.
Steven Miles is not up to the job of steering Queensland through the big four crises created by Labor and this week is further evidence of that.
In the space of just seven days, multiple serious failures have exposed the chaos and crisis of his decade-old State Labor Government.
The failures include:
