LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has launched a petition today calling on Annastacia Palaszczuk to reverse her government’s disgraceful decision to snub Maleny Dairies for the Metro North Hospitals supply contract.
Ms Frecklington said Labor’s decision to award the contract to French and Chinese companies is a slap in the face to Queenslanders.
“Maleny Dairies is proudly Queensland, but they’ve been utterly betrayed by Labor,” Ms Frecklington said.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government is anti-Queensland.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk’s ‘Buy Queensland Policy’ is nothing but a three-word slogan based on false hope.
“There has been an overwhelming response by Queenslanders who think Maleny Dairies has been dudded by the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
“The LNP is committed to Queensland jobs and we will fight for more Queensland jobs.
“This petition will send a strong message to Annastacia Palaszczuk that Queenslanders won’t tolerate being pushed aside for overseas companies.”
LNP Member for Glass House Andrew Powell said every excuse the Palaszczuk Government has given doesn’t stack up.
“Maleny Dairies had ongoing discussions with Palaszczuk Government officials, but none of the issues they are now citing were raised,” Mr Powell said.
“The Palaszczuk Government used Maleny Dairies to promote their Buy Queensland policy but then haven’t given them a go.
“We need 10,000 signatures by February 3 to get this debated by the Parliament.
“It is important that this gets debated on the floor because Queenslanders are outraged by the decision.”
Motorists caught tossing lit cigarettes from vehicles will face harsher penalties, under a future LNP Government.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said the current penalty under the Palaszczuk Labor Government of $533 for dangerous littering doesn’t go far enough compared to other states like New South Wales, where fines range up to $11000 and ten demerit points during a total fire ban.
“Thoughtlessly tossing a cigarette butt out of a car window can end up causing a natural disaster,” Ms Frecklington said.
“It was a discarded cigarette that started the bushfire which destroyed the Binna Burra lodge and 11 other homes last year.
“This behavior must be stamped out because Queensland can’t risk more bushfires like Binna Burra.
“The LNP will do all it can to fight bushfires and that includes considering much tougher penalties for throwing cigarettes from vehicles.
“The LNP will consult with the community on introducing demerit penalty points for drivers and doubling all penalties during total fire bans.
“There is no excuse for endangering lives and homes and the law should reflect that.”
“Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to explain why Chinese UHT milk is being served to hospital patients instead of fresh Queensland milk,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Labor have missed an opportunity to put Queensland farmers and hospital patients first and instead are sending taxpayers money to foreign companies.
“This is yet another example of Labor’s priorities being all wrong when it comes to Queensland’s health system.”
“This comes at a time when our dairy farmers need more support, not less.”
Hyperlink to Maleny Dairies’ statement.
The volume of engineering construction work in Queensland has slumped again, in another sign of the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s economic failure.
The value of engineering construction work completed in the September 2019 quarter was $920m lower than in the same period in 2018 – a fall of 16.7%.
LNP Shadow Minister for State Development Andrew Powell said the ABS data was disturbing as the state is still grappling the highest unemployment rate in Australia.
“These figures prove yet again that Queensland’s potential is being held back by the Palaszczuk Labor Government,” Mr Powell said.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk is spending proportionally less on infrastructure than every other Premier in Australia – and Queensland workers are paying the price.”
Almost 174,000 Queenslanders are now looking for work after the state’s unemployment rate jumped to 6.4% last month.
Mr Powell said a Deb Frecklington LNP Government would get Queensland working again by building new infrastructure, including the New Bradfield Scheme, plus four other dams, the Second M1 and a 10-year package of improvements to the Bruce Highway.
Mr Powell said the LNP would use royalties from the Galilee Basin to create a new Queensland Infrastructure Fund to pay for essential new projects.
“Unlike Labor, the LNP will invest in new dams and roads to unleash this state’s potential and create new jobs for Queenslanders,” Mr Powell said.
NB: The latest ABS engineering and construction data can be accessed here: https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/8762.0Sep%202019?OpenDocument
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has received overwhelming support across Queensland for her plan to improve water security by building The New Bradfield Scheme.
Ms Frecklington said the vast majority of people want action on this project.
“We must act now,” Ms Frecklington said in Townsville today.
“To fast-track this project and support the future work by the CSIRO, I’ve requested the Federal Government provide an additional $2 million for the Hells Gate Dam project, so geotechnical studies for the New Bradfield Scheme dam wall can be conducted concurrently.
“The LNP has met with the Hells Gate Dam project contractors undertaking the engineering and design work, SMEC, who have provided this advice.
“This will save taxpayers’ money in the long term, as utilising the drill rig for both projects at the same time will be more cost-effective.
“The Federal Government has committed $54M towards Phase 1 of the Hells Gate Dam project, which includes $30M for the first stage of Big Rocks Weir at Charters Towers.
“The drought and water security are the biggest issues facing Queensland, but Annastacia Palaszczuk has failed to act.
“I want to get things done, we can’t waste another four years of Labor.
“The LNP’s New Bradfield Scheme will create tens of thousands of jobs, generate 2000 megawatts of hydroelectricity and irrigate an area of land larger than Tasmania.
“This project is a game-changer and only the LNP will deliver it, if we win the October 31 election.”
The Palaszczuk Labor Government has set aside $9.41 million for police officers to take juveniles fishing and supervise them at footy games.
The shocking figure was revealed in response to a Question on Notice* by LNP Shadow Minister for Police Trevor Watts.
Mr Watts said Labor’s budget for the program would easily pay for an extra 70 full-time police offices or the LNP’s plan for a dedicated police helicopter in Townsville.
“Townsville police have more pressing issues than babysitting juveniles at the footy,” Mr Watts said.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk’s priorities are all wrong and Townsville residents are sick of her soft-on-crime approach and putting victim’s last.
“Townsville residents want a stronger police beat, not kindergarten cops.
“A vote for the LNP at the October election is a vote for a police chopper in Townsville, more police officers and the return of tough breach of bail laws.
“North Queenslanders who are fed up with Annastacia Palaszczuk’s crime crisis can’t afford another four years of Labor.”
*QON https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2019/1933-2019.pdf
The Palaszczuk Labor Government must stop playing politics and put the wellbeing of miners first, following another fatal incident at a Queensland mine site.
LNP Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the latest fatality is the 8th in 18 months in Queensland.
“It’s absolutely tragic that another worker didn’t return home because of a fatal incident on a Queensland mine site,” Mr Last said.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk must show some leadership because workers continue to die in our mines and we still don’t have answers.
“Last July*, Labor announced two separate independent reviews into Queensland’s mine safety and these were meant to be finalised at the end of the year, but they’re yet to be released.
“The Minister needs to explain why they’ve been delayed.**
“The LNP called for a bi-partisan Parliamentary Inquiry into mine safety last July, but the Palaszczuk Labor Government rejected it.
“A Parliamentary inquiry will fast-track any legislative changes.
“It’s absolutely crucial Queensland learns lessons from these tragedies, otherwise more lives are on the line.
“One death is one too many, but eight in 18 months under Labor’s watch is totally unacceptable.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk reduced the number of mine inspections and the mining safety advisory committee was dissolved because it didn’t meet a gender quota.
“Everyone deserves the right to come home safely from their workplace.”
Proposed Committee Terms of Reference:
The committee will be asked to consider the following:
** https://www.dnrme.qld.gov.au/mining-resources/initiatives/safety-reset
