The LNP is using day 3 of its Small and Family Business Blitz to force the State Government to enact a COVID Business Lockdown Support Package.
Across Queensland, the LNP team has heard tourism, hospitality and events operators crying out for measures to protect their small businesses during future lockdowns.
From the Gold Coast to Cairns, from Bundaberg to Mount Isa suggestions include adopting elements of successful programs being used in other states and overseas so businesses can receive real support and certainty should there be future lockdowns.
These suggestions include:
LUMP LOCKDOWN PAYMENTS: payments for small businesses to cover loss of income due to lockdowns
DEEP CLEANING COVER: a rebate covering deep cleaning fees if a business is identified as a COVID-19 exposure venue
EVENT CANCELLATION REBATES: covers financial losses if event is cancelled due to a lockdown
As part of the LNP Small Business and Family Blitz Shadow Ministers are travelling around Queensland to speak with more than a hundred small and family business owners and their staff to inform advocacy and policy.
“We are the party of small business,” Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said.
“My team is covering every corner of the state this week to listen to small and family business owners and their staff and more than anything they’re telling us they just want certainty.
“Businesses are prepared to accept the health advice for the greater good but when a decision is taken beyond their control, they need to know they don’t have to carry the full burden all on their own.
“The big thing for small business is confidence, I want to give them that.”
“This plan would give small and family businesses a safety net,” Shadow Treasurer David Janetzki said.
“If we are confident in our vaccine rollout it’s likely this package will never need to be used but importantly it provides the confidence small and family businesses need to invest in their futures and grow.
“This plan gives lenders greater assurance to provide capital to fund business growth.”
“Small businesses are the engine room of the Queensland economy,” Shadow Small Business Minister Brent Mickelberg said.
“Small businesses have big plans, so here’s a plan that will give them the confidence to achieve them.”
Today the LNP is launching the Small and Family Business Blitz.
As part of a week-long, state-wide tour the LNP team is visiting over a hundred family-owned businesses across Queensland.
Shadow Ministers will saturate cities and towns around the state to listen to small business owners.
A mass listening tour, every idea and concern will be collated and brought back to Shadow Cabinet to help form LNP advocacy and policy.
Surrounded by workers, Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli officially launched the LNP Small and Family Business Blitz at local company Laser Central in the electorate of Inala, Brisbane.
“We are the party of small business,” Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said.
“Small and family businesses are the engine room of the Queensland economy.
“We must provide our hard-working families who have taken a punt to run their own businesses with the best possible tools to thrive. Otherwise the Queensland economy isn’t realizing its full potential.
“My team which includes members of Shadow Cabinet will travel the length and breadth of Queensland visiting more than a hundred small businesses.”
“From butchers to plumbers, café owners to hair salons, from manufacturers to pet groomers we want to know every single challenge facing hardworking Queensland families,” Shadow Small Business Minister Brent Mickelberg said.
“Small and family business owners and their staff are the biggest asset we have to ensure a strong economy. We must ensure every challenge and idea doesn’t go unheard.”
Labor’s so-called record health budget will do nothing to fix Queensland’s Health Crisis.
The Health Budget will increase by just 2% which is only a fraction above the 1.75% of CPI.
Currently, 40% of ambulances in Queensland are ramped and 55,000 Queenslanders sit on elective surgery waitlist.
220,000 Queenslanders are on waiting lists to get on that wait list.
Unfortunately, there is no new money in the budget that will fix Labor’s current health “record.”
“This is not about a record health budget, this is about the government’s health record and another example of how Labor’s losing control of the health system,” Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said.
“There is nothing tangible in this budget to fix Queensland’s Health Crisis.”
“Over the past few weeks, I’ve travelled across the state and heard harrowing stories from honest Queenslanders who’ve been let down by the system.”
“This budget will do nothing to alleviate the crisis facing our hospitals and health services.”
The crisis facing Queensland hospitals over the past 24 hours is yet another real-life example of Labor losing control of our health system.
Hundreds of Queenslanders have been left waiting on stretchers in ambulances outside hospitals unable to get a bed. These are not just numbers, this is your mother having a heart attack, your child having an asthma attack or your grandmother breaking her hip.
Labor’s response to this crisis has been a blame game.
Three weeks ago, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said there was no problem in Queensland Health, two weeks ago she said money wasn’t the problem, and a week ago she blamed the culture.
Today in Parliament she said her funding announcement would fix it.
“Queensland’s hospitals are in crisis as Labor continues to lose control of our health system,” Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said.
“Major hospitals in Queensland are again in Code Yellow as dozens of ambulances are ramped across the state.
“As a registered nurse and former hospital administrator, I and every other health professional in Queensland know that this Minister losing control of our health system.”
Statement by Opposition Leader David Crisafulli
Ambulance ramping is back in Queensland.
The State Government is losing control of healthcare, meaning Queenslanders are losing access to vital services.
Today’s emergency meeting called by the Health Minister must work towards implementing genuine solutions.
The LNP is advocating for solutions like:
1) Data on resource availability to be made available in real time so patients and our health professionals can make choices in real time.
2) Providing better resourcing for triaging in emergency departments to ensure the service is fit for purpose.
3) Investing in more resourced beds instead of fudging the figures by counting chairs in the hospital bed tally.
I urge the State Government to work with us.
Queenslanders deserve a world-class health system they can rely on.
Today the LNP has announced it supports the Auditor General’s recommendations that state finances should be released before state elections and for the state government to provide real transparency around the Queensland Future Fund.
New South Wales and Victoria have strict deadlines to release financial statements and the Auditor-General is calling on the Labor Government to also be transparent.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Treasurer David Janetzki says honest Queenslanders deserve to have the full picture before state elections.
“Last year, Queenslanders were effectively blindfolded heading to the ballot box,” Mr Janetzki said.
“The Auditor-General says it was wrong and has called it out.
“This is not just about the numbers, this is about the truth.
“The Auditor-General has dragged the state government into the spotlight and it’s time the Labor Government stopped conducting government business in the dark.”
Shadow Minister for Finance Jarrod Bleijie says this about transparency and integrity.
“Labor has an appalling record when it comes to open and transparent government,” Mr Bleijie said.
“Queenslanders should always have the full picture, but the state government would rather hide the true state of the books.
“The LNP accepts the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report.
“It’s a shame the Premier hasn’t read it.”
