THE RIGHT PLAN FOR QUEENSLAND’S FUTURE
The LNP will fund a major expansion of a successful pathways program for resources and STEM, to secure valuable skilled workers for regional Queensland.
The Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy, already operating at 100 schools, will expand to a further 50 schools under the LNP’s pledge, providing better pathways into tertiary education and vocational training for young Queenslanders.
The commitment is part of the LNP’s Right Plan for Queensland’s Future and will deliver a $2 million boost to the Academy, as well as a $500,000 injection to boost the number of women in operating and technical roles.
LNP Leader David Crisafulli said the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy played a critical role in developing a secure pipeline of skilled workers for the resources sector, which employs more than 50,000 Queenslanders.
“The LNP is committed to securing and skilling the workforce of the future, with the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy, to protect jobs in our regional economic centres like Mackay and across the State,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“This program opens the eyes of young Queenslanders to the opportunities in science, technology, engineering and maths – right here on our own soil.
“Not only does it provide a clear pathway into STEM and resources employment, it also provides the training needed to put more tradies into work sooner.
“The investment and hubs will support local educators to be embedded in the community, instead of relying on the fly in, fly out model.
“That means local educators, teaching local students to protect and create local jobs in their local communities.
“The LNP’s commitment will reduce reliance on hiring from overseas or interstate, instead we’ll develop our own home-grown talent.
“More than one in five Queenslanders who participate in the Academy go on to study engineering or in technology-related fields, with many others opting to progress into vocational training.
“We will help empower the next generation of workers and bolster the critical minerals industry with the employees to shoulder the growing mountain of opportunity in our State.”
Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy was part of the Right Plan for regional Queensland’s Future.
“Queensland businesses are hungry for more skilled workers and locking-in a reliable pipeline of minerals and energy workers secures economic prosperity for regional Queensland,” Mr Last said.
“More than 15,000 Queensland businesses rely on skilled young Queensland workers and the Academy will be just one of the opportunities to help secure this pipeline.
“This is key to helping regional Queensland realise its full economic potential in the decade ahead.
“The mining and energy sector will continue to be pivotal to Queensland’s prosperity and success, this will help ensure we have the jobs to match the opportunities.
“The Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy will provide a pathway for traditional sectors including coal and gas, as well as the emerging critical minerals and energy jobs of the future.
“While Labor has failed to understand the importance of growing a skilled workforce for our future, the LNP will invest to grow regional Queensland’s opportunities.
“Only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s Future, including working harder for Queenslanders.”
One year ago today, Senior Labor MP Don Brown angered Queenslanders after he described Labor’s Crime Crisis as “a media beat up.”
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Jarrod Bleijie said the comments have come back to haunt the Labor Government, after the latest police statistics revealed the full extent of Labor’s Crime Crisis.
Shockingly, since Don Brown made the comments, other Labor MPs have repeated the claims.
“Does Premier Steven Miles agree with Don Brown’s comments?” Mr Bleijie said.
“Don Brown’s comments were offensive, arrogant, pig-headed and a smear against every victim of crime.
“The LNP has been inundated with horror stories from victims across Queensland.
“Labor watered-down laws ten years ago and created a generation of untouchables and Labor is refusing to acknowledge they created the Crime Crisis."
Across Queensland, since the Palaszczuk-Miles Government came to power:
“In Don Brown’s own region in the Redlands, assaults, stolen cars and robbery have soared at an alarming rate", Mr Bleijie said.
“Labor is in chaos and crisis and Queenslanders no longer trust Labor to fix the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis.
“Only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s Future and that includes making our community safer.
“The Making Queensland Safer Laws will be law by the end of the year if Queenslanders vote for change at the October election.
“Our Adult Crime, Adult Time policy will restore consequences for actions with youth offenders held accountable for their crimes, with the ability to receive the same sentences as adults committing the same crimes.
“Only the LNP will makes changes to the Youth Justice Act including, removing detention as a last resort and enshrining in legislation the rights of victims ahead of those of offenders.
“The LNP will restore consequences for actions to our youth crime laws and send a strong message that if you commit a serious crime you will pay with adult time.
“Queenslanders deserve better.
“Nothing will change unless the government changes in October.”
SECURING OUR HOUSING FOUNDATIONS PLAN
The LNP has announced it will invest a record $1 billion into regional housing infrastructure, ensuring desperately-needed housing supply is built sooner in regional Queensland.
Speaking from Townsville today, LNP Leader David Crisafulli announced his $1 Billion Regional Infrastructure Guarantee if the LNP is elected in October, guaranteeing at least half of a $2 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund will be invested in regional Queensland.
The Guarantee, part of the LNP’s Securing Our Housing Foundations Plan, will support the homes for the police, doctors, nurses and teachers by driving regional housing supply.
It will also assist in turbocharging the infrastructure required for new housing developments including roads, intersection upgrades, lighting, water, sewage and parks, to get Queenslanders into new homes sooner.
It follows the revelation regional Queensland is the most unaffordable place to rent in Australia.
Mr Crisafulli said the LNP would secure regional Queensland’s housing foundations to end Labor’s regional Housing Crisis.
“With half of our State living outside Brisbane, we’ll guarantee at least half of this fund is invested in our regions,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“It’s fair the regions get their fair-share which is why I’m proud to be investing $1 billion into regional Queensland housing infrastructure.
“This is a big investment to deliver a big boost for regional Queensland.
“We must plan for our growing State and that means securing our housing foundations.
“Without housing, we can’t secure the services our regions need, we can’t secure the doctors, nurses, police and teachers our regions need.
“This is a priority for me because it’s a priority for regional Queensland.
“Police, teachers, doctors and nurses are leaving the regions because the housing they need isn’t available.
“Our plan will get Queenslanders into homes sooner and ensure we deliver the homes regional Queensland needs over the next 20 years.
“Only the LNP has the Right Plan for regional Queensland’s future, including securing our housing foundations.”
Labor’s weak laws behind crime surge
Regional Queenslanders are bearing the brunt of Labor’s crime crisis, after shocking new analysis revealed crime rates have surged more than four times compared to Brisbane.
Among the alarming Queensland Police Service statistics:
Shadow Minister for Police and Community Safety Dan Purdie said Labor has failed regional Queenslanders.
“Regional Queensland is the epicentre of Labor’s crime crisis,” Mr Purdie said.
“This is further proof that regional Queenslanders are worse off under Labor.
“The crime crisis has torn communities apart.
“Proud regional cities from Cairns to Mt Isa to the Sunshine Coast have been hijacked by a generation of untouchables.
“Labor proudly and loudly watered-down laws in 2015 and regional Queensland has copped it the most.
“After all of Labor’s promises, announcements, media releases, meetings and forums, nothing has changed. It has only become worse.
“Queenslanders can no longer trust Labor to fix their crime crisis.
“Only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s Future and that includes making our community safer.
“The Making Queensland Safer Laws will be laws by the end of this calendar year.
“Our Adult Crime, Adult Time policy will restore consequences for actions with youth offenders held accountable for their crimes, with the ability to receive the same sentences as adults committing the same crimes.
“Only the LNP will makes changes to the Youth Justice Act including, removing detention as a last resort and enshrining in legislation the rights of victims ahead of offenders’ rights.
“The LNP will restore consequences for actions to our youth crime laws and send a strong message that if you commit a serious crime you will pay with adult time.
“This is the tough on crime response Queenslanders have been pleading for, while Labor has repeatedly refused to listen for the past ten years.
“Regional Queenslanders are sick of feeling like second-class citizens under Labor.
“Nothing will change unless the government changes in October.”
Only one side of politics has a plan to crack down on the thuggish behaviour of the militant CFMEU in Queensland.
With legislation due this week, today the LNP has released a list of demands to Labor:
Labor have tried to talk tough but Queenslanders know Steven Miles will deliver nothing.
Steven Miles owes his job to the CFMEU.
With blockades at worksites and brawls erupting to stop non-union workers entering, the CFMEU acts as a law unto themselves.
Queenslanders are paying the price with project delays and budget blowouts.
It's well beyond time that Steven Miles showed some leadership, called out thuggish behaviour and accepted the LNP’s demands.
I am appalled at reports today that Steven Miles and Labor’s failed Health Minister Shannon Fentiman have been hiring political spinners for their offices at a greater rate than frontline health staff.
Worse still, while Labor hides behind political barricades, doctors and nurses are leaving Queensland Health in record numbers under Labor's watch.
Today's announcement by the Premier and Health Minister is another attempt by a desperate Government to distract Queenslanders from the truth.
Figures revealed in a Parliamentary Question on Notice last month show the rate of nurses leaving is nearly double what it was when Labor took office at 6.12%.
The rate of doctors leaving is the highest it has been since Labor came to power in 2015.
Alarmingly, in some regions of Queensland up to 15% of doctors and nurses are leaving.
Make no mistake, the number of frontline staff leaving is a direct result of Labor’s failure to plan and run the health system.
Labor can’t be trusted to heal the Queensland Health Crisis.
Shannon Fentiman promised big but has only delivered record ambulance ramping and surgery waitlists.
As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I understand the pressure our frontline staff face every day and how much worse that’s become under this government.
The Queensland Health Crisis won’t change until we change the government because only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s future, including easier access to health services.
This week the LNP’s Crime and Corruption Commission laws will be debated in the Queensland Parliament.
The question is, what will Steven Miles do?
He has a clear choice between cover-up or integrity.
Steven Miles can choose to gag the CCC ahead of the October election and cover-up corruption reports, at a time a cloud of secrecy hangs over the head of one of his Ministers.
Or he can choose integrity and pass these laws.
The CCC says these laws are required and will allow them to do the job of being an effective corruption watchdog.
Multiple reports could be released now if these laws are passed and Steven Miles doesn’t choose to keep the CCC muzzled.
If Steven Miles doesn’t support these laws, Queenslanders will know his desperation has reached the point he will do anything to cling to power, including keep potential corruption reports secret.
Only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s Future, including restoring integrity to government.
LABOR’S DECADE OF UNREST
Damning new analysis of Queensland Police Service statistics has revealed the full extent of the Queensland Crime Crisis, with an explosive increase since the Palaszczuk-Miles Government came to power nearly a decade ago.
Of the 55 crime category data points, 53 saw increases spanning Queensland’s cities and only two crime categories experienced a modest decline.
Comparing the financial year of 2015-16 (when Labor came to power) to 2023-24, across Queensland some of the biggest increases include:
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said Queenslanders had been pleading for stronger laws but Labor had refused to listen for the past decade.
“Our Making Queensland Safer Laws is the tough on crime response Queenslanders have pleaded for," Mr Crisafulli said.
“Youth criminals have been running riot through our communities, knowing there are no consequences and little punishment for serious crime, but this will end under the LNP’s Adult Crime, Adult Time plan.
“Adult Crime, Adult Time will bring back consequences for actions and send a clear message to youth offenders they will serve serious time for their crimes.
“We’ll also get serious about early intervention and rehabilitation with purpose.
“Queenslanders know they can’t trust Labor on crime and nothing will change unless the government changes in October.”
Shadow Minister for Police and Community Safety and former Child Protection Detective Dan Purdie said these statistics were not the fault of our frontline police officers.
“The dedicated men and women keeping our streets safe are doing a remarkable job, but with one arm tied behind their back,” Mr Purdie said.
“Weaker laws and fewer police, is it any wonder Queenslanders are living through a crime crisis?"
Shadow Minister for Youth Justice Laura Gerber said communities were sick of living in fear.
“Only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s Future and that includes making our community safer," Ms Gerber said.
“The Palaszczuk-Miles Government is in chaos and crisis and their watered-down laws from 2015 have done enormous damage to communities across the state.”
The LNP has previously outlined the Making our Community Safer plan will include:
Statement from Deb Frecklington - Shadow Minister for Energy
Serious questions for Cameron Dick and Mick de Brenni
Queenslanders today will be deeply concerned and shocked following revelations Dr Sean Brady was blocked from speaking to key witnesses while undertaking his investigation into the Callide power plant explosion.
Queenslanders are paying more for energy because of Labor's failures to maintain the power plant.
The obstruction of Dr Brady's pursuit of the truth is an insult to families and small businesses dealing with soaring power bills.
Today the Treasurer and Energy Minister must confirm whether or not they willingly participated in the Brady Review.
And if not, why not?
They are the shareholding Ministers responsible for this debacle.
Their cuts to maintenance funding led to the explosion that resulted in Queenslanders' power bills soaring.
Today the Palaszczuk-Miles Government must explain why Dr Brady was blocked from speaking to key players in this sorry saga.
New shocking data has revealed the Queensland Housing Crisis has deepened even further after the Palaszczuk-Miles Labor Government were caught approving fewer housing lots than 10 years ago, despite a growing population.
From the Far North to the South East corner, the official figures have exposed Labor approved 2117 fewer housing lots from the 12 months to March 2014 compared to the 12 month to March 2024.
Labor’s failure to deliver housing lots has created the Queensland Housing Crisis.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said it’s further proof Labor has failed Queenslanders.
“It’s unforgivable that this Labor Government has failed to meet the needs of a growing state,” Mr Bleijie said.
“Labor’s chaos and crisis has ensured a decline in housing lot approvals despite all their round-tables, summits and media announcements.
“Queenslanders no longer trust Labor to tackle the housing crisis.
“Only the LNP has the right plan for Queensland’s future and that includes securing our housing foundations.
“We will also unlock the homes needed for our growing State, by delivering one million homes by 2044, and a clear plan for where they can sustainably go.
“The LNP will also bring accountability and transparency back to social housing delivery, with clear KPIs, and direct every dollar of the $2 billion Housing Investment Fund into building new homes.
“Only by harnessing the power of our community housing sector and delivering social housing on-time and on-budget, will we be able to finally end Labor’s downward spiral of false hope and broken housing promises.
“The LNP’s housing plan will chart a course to building these homes, with new regional plans to cover every corner of this State and by fast-tracking approvals to see these homes built with the infrastructure to protect our lifestyle.
“Under Labor, the great Australian dream of owning your home has become a nightmare and aspiration is nothing more than a pipedream.”
The LNP’s Securing our Housing Foundations plan consists of six key policy areas:
BIG LESSON: Labor can’t be trusted to run our schools
Today’s shocking NAPLAN results are a monumental “fail” for the Palaszczuk-Miles Labor Government.
Yet again, Queensland students have received the poorest NAPLAN scores of any mainland state.
Almost two in five students are failing to meet national standards for literacy and maths, with all Queensland students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 receiving lower results this year for reading and spelling, than the year before.
This is a damning indictment of the Labor State Government’s decade-long neglect of improving student outcomes.
Today’s results are the culmination of Labor’s ongoing failure to adequately plan and resource our education system, including supporting our dedicated frontline teachers.
Labor has failed to meet its election promise to recruit 7,329 new teachers and teacher aides.
What’s more, since 2020, over 13,400 teaching staff have left Education Queensland.
Today’s NAPLAN results are also an embarrassment for the Labor Minister for Education, who has been found to be more focused on entertainment than education.
Queensland parents deserve answers today from Labor’s Minister for Education, who has failed to articulate any meaningful plan to improve literacy and numeracy results in Queensland.
Only the LNP has the right priorities for Queensland’s future including lifting education standards and outcomes.
LNP to raise 5 weirs along Thomson River
The LNP will secure water supply for Longreach and the surrounding agricultural region, with a $7 million commitment to raise weirs along the Thomson River.
The major water security project will raise five weirs along the river, increasing storage capacity by 28 per cent which will safeguard town water supply while also supporting agricultural irrigation.
The LNP’s commitment will support funding already budgeted by the Longreach Regional Council and the Federal Government to ensure the project proceeds after many years of planning.
Shadow Minister for Water Deb Frecklington said the LNP’s commitment followed a decade of inaction by Labor on water security meaning higher costs for families and farmers.
“The LNP will deliver water security for Longreach with a $7 million contribution to upgrade five weirs on the Thomson River,” Ms Frecklington said.
“This is a critical step towards water security for the town of Longreach and supporting the agricultural industries that are major economic drivers for our State.
“This announcement is part of the LNP’s Working Harder for Queenslanders plan, which includes delivering water security for future generations of Queenslanders.”
LNP Candidate for Gregory Sean Dillon said the LNP’s commitment would secure a partnership with all three levels of government.
“Water security is a priority for Longreach and it’s a priority for the LNP,” Mr Dillon said.
"As a former Mayor I know only too well the importance of a safe reliable water supply for the community.
“The LNP’s commitment allows for the expansion of industry and therefore jobs integral to the future of Longreach and the Central West.
“While the LNP has been in discussions and calling for this project to be supported for more than two years, Labor has continued to delay a decision, leaving the community in limbo.
“It’s clear only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s future, including delivering water security for Longreach.”
Labor caught prioritising politics and putting Queenslanders at risk
New Queensland Health data has revealed the safety of an increasing numbers of Queenslanders in need of urgent care is being put at risk due to Labor’s desperate decision to mislabel the state’s “satellite hospitals”.
Queenslanders are turning up to the facilities instead of emergency departments due to the confusion caused by the facilities being called ‘hospitals’.
“Satellite Hospitals” were promised to be “new hospitals” at the last election, when in fact they are minor illness clinics, unable to provide emergency health support.
These facilities don’t have emergency departments and they don’t have overnight beds. They’re not hospitals.
Queensland Health experts lobbied the Labor Government to change the name before they opened, because it was misleading.
Labor was repeatedly warned this decision would put lives at risk.
The AMAQ and whistleblowers have called for the name to be changed.
Queenslanders’ lives are being put at risk because Labor arrogantly persists in naming the centres “hospitals”.
The Health Minister herself has backed in the name and refused to change it and end the confusion.
The problem is getting worse, not better, the longer Satellite Hospitals are open.
More Queenslanders are being left dangerously at risk because of Labor’s arrogance.
The facilities are important additions to our ailing health system, but they should never have been named “hospitals”, because they’re not.
But Labor is more interested in their political future than the future of Queenslanders.
Labor’s refusal to change the name is more proof they are so desperate they’ll say and do anything to cling to power.
They lied to Queenslanders at the last election, when they promised a new “hospital” for Bribie and have instead delivered a minor illness clinic.
Labor is playing politics when Queenslanders’ lives are at risk.
Labor has become so desperate they are more focused on themselves than what’s best for Queenslanders.
The LNP will rename these facilities to stop Labor’s chaos and crisis putting Queenslanders’ lives at risk.
Only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s Future, including easier access to health services.
More Queenslanders than ever before waiting for life-changing surgery under Labor
The Queensland Health Crisis has reached a shocking new low under Labor with more Queenslanders than ever before waiting for surgery.
New data shows the Elective Surgery Waitlist has risen by 1,383 to 61,421 Queenslanders between the end of March to the end of June this year.
The figure of 61,421 is the biggest number ever recorded and double the number it was in 2015 when the Palaszczuk-Miles Government came to power.
The dire new data comes after Queensland recorded the worst six-month period in Queensland history for ambulance ramping.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said he was determined to drive down these shocking numbers.
“We now have seen the worst ambulance ramping figure ever recorded and the worst elective surgery number in Queensland history in the first half of this year," Mr Crisafulli said.
“These numbers represent a health system in crisis, frontline staff not being properly resourced and patients not getting the care they need.
“They represent our hardworking health workers being stretched to the limit and not getting the support they need.
“Time is up for Labor’s approach.
“I want Queenslanders to know if Government changes in October these are the figures we will drive down and be held accountable for.
“Only the LNP has the Right Plan to heal the Health Crisis and that starts with better resources, better triaging, releasing data in real-time and putting doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.”
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the Health Minister has broken her promises to Queenslanders.
“Queenslanders have heard every excuse under the sun from Shannon Fentiman but these numbers don’t lie," Ms Bates said.
“She promised to get the surgery waitlist down and promised to fix ambulance ramping but she now holds the unwanted mantle of delivering Queensland the worst ambulance ramping and longest surgery waitlist in Queensland history.
“We now know why she wouldn’t release the elective surgery data to us in Estimates.
“These are Queenslanders waiting for life-changing surgery like hip replacements or cataract operations.
“How many of these patients have gone from treatable to untreatable due to Labor’s failures?
“The truth is, Labor will say and do anything to cling to power, but they can’t be trusted to heal the Queensland Health Crisis.
“They promised to heal the Queensland Health Crisis, yet more Queenslanders than ever before are waiting for critical surgeries and waiting on ambulance ramps.
“The Palaszczuk-Miles Government is in chaos and crisis and Queensland patients have suffered as a result.
“Nothing will change until the government changes in October.”
Miles' muzzling of CCC is protection racket for handpicked Minister and Jackie Trad
Steven Miles must explain to Queenslanders why he is silencing the corruption watchdog in the lead-up to the election.
It’s shocking the Premier would be so desperate to keep Queenslanders in the dark on corruption under Labor that he will now keep the corruption watchdog muzzled until after Queenslanders vote.
In more Labor chaos and crisis, Steven Miles has sunk to a desperate new low that he will prioritise his own victory over corruption risks.
There is legislation before the Parliament, put forward by the LNP, ready to go to give the CCC the powers to release corruption reports.
The CCC has been consulted through the Committee process and confirmed as recently as at Estimates that the LNP’s bill “does the job”.
But Steven Miles refuses to progress it, because he wants to keep the CCC muzzled.
That includes keeping secret any findings from an investigation into the potential misuse of taxpayer funds by the former Parole Board President on Minister Nikki Boyd’s watch, which couldn’t be released without changes to the law.
Corruption is a disease seeping through the foundations of Steven Miles’ government and today he has made clear he won’t clean it up.
It’s more proof Steven Miles is so desperate to cling to power, he will say and do anything, including silencing Queensland’s corruption watchdog.
Only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s future, including restoring integrity to government.
Desperate announcement will drive up petrol prices, and Labor knows it
Comment from Jarrod Bleijie, Shadow Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning.
“Labor’s state-owned petrol stations would have to be one of the dumbest and most desperate announcements ever made by a Queensland Premier.
“Steven Miles knows his plan would drive up petrol prices for Queenslanders but he is so desperate he announced it anyway because he will do and say anything to cling to power ahead of the October election.
“For the last decade Labor has destroyed frontline services across Queensland and now wants to be trusted to run service stations? Queenslanders know Steven Miles can’t be trusted on this announcement.
“Labor’s state-owned petrol stations announcement is a desperate, hare-brained, half-baked thought bubble that will reduce competition by driving mum and dad operators out of business and pump-up petrol prices for Queenslanders across the state.
“Steven Miles’ desperation has played straight into the hands of multi-national corporations because Labor will drive out independent mum and dad operators who right now are the ones holding the big corporations accountable.
“Steven Miles’ announcement would erode competition and push independent operators to the wall which will drive up prices for Queenslanders.
“Clearly Steven Miles had done zero homework or modelling on his desperate thought bubble because everyone else knows it will drive up petrol prices, everyone else is already saying it except Steven Miles.”
