Herbert MP Phillip Thompson’s criticism against Labor MPs

Federal MP Phillip Thompson has used time in the parliament to blast Townsville’s three Labor MPs’ response to crime concerns.

Herbert MP Phillip Thompson speaks in the federal parliament blasting the three Townsville based Labor MPs.

Federal MP Phillip Thompson has taken a swipe at Premier Steven Miles and Townsville’s three Labor MPs in the federal parliament, accusing them of downplaying residents’ crime concerns.

With the eyes of the nation’s political circles watching, Mr Thompson described the State Government as “tired, old, washed up” and Mr Miles as “just another Palaszczuk minister” as he officially endorsed four LNP state candidates in the region.

“In Townsville we have three very tired Labor State MPs who haven’t been backing the people of Townsville,” Mr Thompson said.

“Crime is the number one issue, we’ve seen people living in fear, we have seen people who have been robbed, car jacketed, threatened, who think their lives – or their lives – have been put at risk and we get told time and time against by these three State Labor MPs that crime is not an issue.”

In response to Mr Thompson’s parliamentary speech, Townsville MP Scott Stewart accused the previous LNP led government, from 2012-15, of cutting nurses, doctors, teachers and police officer jobs.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart speaks to media at the recent Bush Summit alongside Premier Steven Miles and Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper. Picture: Paul Brescia

“We had to step up when Phil Thompson and the LNP stepped away from funding Stage 2 of the Haughton Pipeline,” Mr Stewart said.

“We will deliver on what Townsville needs now and into the future and that includes tackling crime through our $1.28bn Community Safety Plan.”

Funding of the overinflated second stage of the Haughton Pipeline has been a point of contention between the State Government and Mr Thompson – who said an LNP federal government wanted to fund the project, on the conditions of a solid business case.

Previously he said the project would have saved tens of millions if stage one and two were completed at the same time.

Originally published as Herbert MP Phillip Thompson’s criticism against Labor MPs