Yet another independent report released today has shown that Queensland motorists are being ripped off at the bowser.
Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show fuel prices jumped 10.6 per cent in Brisbane last quarter and that this was the main driver in a 0.8 per cent increase in the Consumer Price Index.
Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington said this was the latest independent report showing Queensland motorists were paying too much for fuel, but the lazy Palaszczuk Government wasn’t listening.
"We’ve had the RACQ, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and now the Australian Bureau of Statistics highlighting just how expensive fuel is in south east Queensland, but we’ve heard nothing from the Premier," Ms Frecklington said.
"The data released today only goes up to the end of last year, and we all know that motorists have been hit even harder through January.
"Enough is enough – people are paying through the nose for fuel and it’s time for the Premier to act.
"The LNP’s ‘Fight for Fairer Fuel’ plan will help combat this problem by making retailers publish their prices in real time so motorists can shop around for the cheapest price.
"Forcing fuel companies to publish their daily prices has already saved motorists hundreds of dollars a year in New South Wales.
"I call on the Premier to take real action to cut petrol prices by implementing the LNP’s ‘Fight for Fairer Fuel’ plan to ease pressure on household budgets."
Ms Frecklington said today’s ABS release showed the Palaszczuk Government continued to increase fees, taxes and charges at almost double the rate of inflation.
"Lazy Labor has only one solution for its economic mismanagement and that is new taxes."
Deputy LNP Leader and Shadow Treasurer Tim Mander said today’s CommSec State of the States Report revealed Queensland was still coming a dismal sixth in economic performance nationally.
"Sadly after three years of lazy Labor government Queensland is fighting for the economic wooden spoon and our economy is falling well behind New South Wales and Victoria," Mr Mander said.
"On most performance indicators we’re ranked right near the bottom.
"Queensland has been languishing behind the likes of Tasmania and South Australia for consecutive quarters now and we’ve seen no plan to turn things around from this lazy government.
"Instead of coming up with a plan, Labor’s announced four new taxes that will hit investment and hurt jobs.
"Today’s CommSec report shows Queensland construction sector is hurting, with housing starts dropping 15.6 per cent over the last 12 months.
"We’re ranked seventh for construction work and sixth for business investment.
"These parts of the economy will be hardest hit by Labor’s four new taxes.
"You can’t tax your way to growth, it’s as simple as that."
Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington has offered the LNP’s support to put the fight against bullying on the agenda.
"As a mother of three daughters I know only too well the difficult and sometimes painful path our kids must travel these days," Ms Frecklington said.
"It breaks my heart every time I hear that bullying has played a part in the loss of another one of our precious young people – but it’s well and truly time to channel our hurt into action.
"As I said only a week ago, this issue is above politics and I feel strongly that we as politicians, parents, carers and everyday Queenslanders must work together to protect our kids from this insidious threat.
"The LNP stands ready to support measures that tackle all forms of bullying in our state and across the nation."
Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington has today ramped up pressure on Labor to fix the traffic nightmare that is the M1.
"South east Queenslanders are sick of sitting in traffic day in, day out
and lazy Labor needs to get on and build a second M1," Ms Frecklington said.
"It would be a travesty if, in three years’ time when the next state election rolls around, politicians are still arguing about what should be done with one of Queensland’s most important roads.
"We know a new M1 is the answer so Labor just has to get on with and build it.
"Annastacia Palaszczuk’s band aid approach of upgrading bits and pieces of this major road just won’t cut it.
"It won’t solve the crippling congestion problems on the M1 and Queenslanders will continue to suffer because of lazy Labor’s inaction.
"The LNP will continue to fight for the second M1 because we know that is what frustrated motorists want.
"The last thing south east Queenslanders need is to still hear politicians talking about problems with the M1 come the 2020 state election otherwise the Gold Coast will be in gridlock.
"Labor needs to start planning for the future."
LNP Leader and Shadow Trade Minister Deb Frecklington has welcomed the Federal Coalition’s progression of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal with ten other countries around Asia and the Americas, due to be formally signed in March.
"Reports that the TPP is back on track is good news for Queensland, especially our agricultural producers," Ms Frecklington said.
"I’m confident this trade deal will boost Queensland’s exports and drive economic growth in our state.
"This is all about jobs for Queenslanders right across the state.
"It’s particularly exciting to see increased access for Queensland’s beef industry into Japan with a reduction of tariffs.
"We know we have the best beef here in Queensland and the TPP will help us share it with our neighbours.
"I’m also looking forward to seeing Queensland industry capitalise on access to markets like Canada, Mexico and Vietnam."
"Today the Liberal National Party’s Shadow Cabinet will meet for the first time for 2018 and my message to them will be clear – work hard to win back the trust and respect of Queenslanders," MsFrecklington said.
"Since becoming LNP Leader I have been frank about the work I believe we must do to listen, regroup and rebuild faith in the LNP as the only party that can deliver for Queensland. My team is in politics to help make people’s lives better and nothing else.
"On behalf of all Queenslanders I will drive our Shadow Cabinet and all LNP MPs to hold this Palaszczuk Labor Government to account.
"My first priority is to unite Queensland with a fresh team that represents all of Queensland to end Labor’s division between South East Queensland and the rest of the state.
"My other priorities are tackling ICE, creating jobs and busting congestion by building more infrastructure, delivering better services and easing pressure on the household budget.
"Today the LNP Shadow Cabinet will consider a number of policies including real time fuel price monitoring. It’s a cost of living policy that will save households hundreds of dollars a year.
"My team and I are getting to work to win back the trust and respect of Queenslanders," Deb said.
"For those wondering what Annastacia Palaszczuk's agenda was for this term, we now have an answer - it is for Queensland to be dragged headlong down the path of full political correctness.
"Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to come clean and let Queenslanders know of her political correctness agenda or pull Commonwealth Games organisers into line and rule out this PC rubbish.
"The next three years can't be about a Premier who only turns up for ribbon cuttings or photo ops and claims everything has been fixed by 'My Government'.
"A Premier needs to set agendas, make decisions and be a voice for the people.
"Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to make clear to Queenslanders where she stands on issues.
"Does she believe Australia Day is Invasion Day or not? Does she believe Commonwealth Games volunteers should be able to call people ‘ladies and gentleman’ and ‘boys and girls’ or not? Does she think GOLDOC would be better off releasing the train timetable for the games or focus its attention on this PC garbage?
"Annastacia Palaszczuk is quick to blame former politicians but takes no responsibility for her own failings over the last three years, or as a senior Minister in the Bligh Government.
"It is time she stopped the blame game, came out and let people know what she really stands for.
"For the record, I believe Australia Day should stay where it is. Moving Australia Day will do nothing about the poor life expectancy, job prospects, high incarceration rates or fix issues of overcrowded housing for indigenous Australians.
"They’re the issues that should be debated in this country, not changing a date.
"My husband works with young indigenous people. He has worked with indigenous communities for many years. He is passionate about upskilling local aboriginal youth in agriculture and the benefits of community. When I talk to him about people wanting to move Australia Day he says – ‘you try telling a mother who is simply trying to get her kids to school, find work, and pay their electricity bill that changing a date will do anything for herself, her family or her community.’
"Life threatening but preventable diseases, substance abuse, domestic violence and unemployment are the serious issues facing indigenous communities - not changing Australia Day."
Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington said the latest trading hours bungle from the Palaszczuk Government exposed Labor’s gross incompetence in carrying out the most basic functions of government.
"Having botched these laws this lazy Labor Government needs to get on and fix them and we’ll make sure they do," Ms Frecklington said.
"This breathtaking bungle from the Palaszczuk Government will affect not only grocery shop owners but also their employees who rely on extra Easter wages to pay their bills.
"Annastacia Palaszczuk crowed about how good Labor’s new laws were but the reality is they’re not trading laws but ‘closing’ laws.
"What a complete farce when a government stuff up means that businesses can’t legally open during one of their busiest times of year.
"The retail sector is one of the state’s biggest employers with around 270,000 Queenslanders working in the sector and they deserve better."
Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Jarrod Bleijie said Labor had botched Easter trading laws for two years in a row.
"Labor’s botched laws mean regional Queenslanders better stock up on Easter eggs and hot cross buns because their local grocery shop will be forced to shut for four days straight across the Easter weekend," Mr Bleijie said.
"Last year Labor legislated to make Easter Sunday a public holiday and then had to make amendments months later to allow shops to open.
"Now they’ve stuffed it up again by passing laws that mean shops will have to shut their doors, but this time for four days in a row.
"Taxpayers will again be slugged to redraft these laws and the Parliament will need to spend time fixing Labor’s mistake.
"Queenslanders deserve better than this lazy Labor Government.
"Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to accept responsibility and apologise for this bungle."
On a visit to the Sunshine Coast today Liberal National Party leader Deb Frecklington called on the Palaszczuk Government to open up national parks and nature reserves to eco-tourism ventures to provide a much needed boost to the Queensland tourism industry.
Ms Frecklington said for too long Queensland’s most beautiful places have been locked away from locals and tourists in the mistaken belief that was the best way to protect the environment.
"Sadly the Palaszczuk Labor Government isn’t interested in capitalising on the wonderful natural assets that make Queensland and the Sunshine Coast unique," Ms Frecklington said.
"Instead Labor kow-tow to activists who want to lock up our National Parks and throw away the key.
"We believe that the more people can experience Queensland’s amazing natural beauty, the more they will support ways to preserve it for generations to come.
"If managed in an environmentally responsible way there’s no reason why our parks can’t be opened up so that people can learn about, and appreciate, their beauty.
"If Labor was serious about supporting our tourism industry, they’d create an opportunity for ecotourism operators to propose low-impact accommodation and tourism infrastructure in our national parks."
LNP Shadow Tourism and Environment Minister David Crisafulli said even Labor’s own hand-picked tourism boss has publicly lamented the inaction by the state government on ecotourism opportunities.**
"I fully support Tourism and Events Queensland chair Brett Godfrey’s view that Queensland must act now to claw back its share of the national tourism industry," Mr Crisafulli said.
"New Zealand and Tasmania are all over this with their environmentally-respectful resorts and lodges available to tourists – we’re falling behind because Labor refuses to make the most of what makes us special.
"Not only are Queenslanders missing out on opportunities to enjoy our national parks, our state’s economy is missing out on tourism jobs and income.
"The LNP is by no means advocating an open slather approach to activities in our National Parks.
"This is all about bringing people into a place so they learn to fall in love with it and learn how to protect it."
**quotes from Tourism and Events Queensland Chair Brett Godfrey – Courier Mail, 23 December 2017
"We do not have one person who can sleep in a bed in a national park in Queensland.
"No one says New Zealand has really buggered up their national parks by opening tourism.
"This adventure tourism market is the fastest growing tourism sector in the world and we have some of the best national parks in the world, but we are not taking advantage of it.
"Look at what they have done in New Zealand with the Milford Track, or down in Tasmania now with the Three Capes.
"To get back on top in the tourism industry, Queensland needs to be the best at something and we are renowned as having some of the best natural experiences in the world.
"Getting back to the days of having a 50 per cent share of the market is going to be a massive challenge.
"Tasmania took a big leap 10 years ago to allow eco-tourism and they are smacking it out of the park."
"It is offensive to taxpayers that their hard earned money has been wasted on this rubbish.
"It is madness to remove basic identification features from driver’s licences, most people’s primary identification record.
"What’s next, removing date of birth and blood type because this may be discriminatory?
"Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to focus on real issues affecting Queenslanders like jobs, congestion, crime, health and education not this political correctness rubbish."
"Today I have written to Labor’s Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath to ask her to get to the bottom of allegations of dodgy practices in Queensland’s funeral industry.
"We fear that media reports today may be the tip of the iceberg – and at the very least they need to be taken seriously and an investigation needs to begin immediately.
"In another case of this lazy Labor Government failing to act, the LNP has seen copies of correspondence sent to the Attorney-General more than 12 months ago and it seems that several issues have been constantly fobbed off by her department.
"From what we have seen the claim raised in the media today is not an isolated case.
"People deserve nothing less than the dignity and respect of a proper burial and allegations of loved ones being ripped off through the funeral process are appalling.
"The alleged funeral industry rorts and rip offs need to stop and we are calling on Labor to investigate this issue and ensure there aren’t systemic problems in the industry."
A new survey has revealed confidence in Queensland’s property industry is the worst in the country, with Labor’s two new taxes directly to blame.
The ANZ Property Council Survey, released today, shows confidence in Queensland is down and the Palaszczuk Labor Government is seen as the worst performing government in Australia.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said this was proof Labor’s new taxes would kill investment and cost construction jobs.
"It’s no accident Queensland’s slide to the bottom of the rankings coincides with the announcement of Labor’s two new property taxes," she said.
"Businesses are now predicting fewer staff, less activity and a weaker economy and this has all occurred since Labor announced a raft of new taxes on election eve.
"These results come as building approvals continue to trend downwards, meaning less work with the more than 200,000 Queenslanders employed in the construction industry.
"This is proof that you can’t tax your way to growth – it’s as simple as that."
