Opinion: Labor Treasurer a slow learner on Virgin bid

Queensland’s third treasurer in two days is trying to throw $200 million of taxpayers’ money at Virgin Australia for the second time in one month, writes shadow treasurer Tim Mander. VOTE IN OUR POLL

THE unemployment figures released yesterday were grim for Queensland.

More than 129,500 Queenslanders left the workforce in April.

Inside Queensland’s bid for Australia’s second-largest airline

Treasurer Cameron Dick says Qld can afford a Virgin Airlines bid

Flight Centre boss Graham Turner backs Virgin bid, calls for restart of international travel

The shocking number does not include those workers who have been forced to take leave or take pay cuts.

Sadly, there’s nothing new about high unemployment in Queensland.

Thanks to Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queensland recorded the nation’s worst average unemployment rate in the two years before the pandemic began.

With unemployment now climbing faster than ever, the Palaszczuk Labor Government should be totally focused on protecting jobs.

But Labor is instead distracted by the integrity scandal that has brought down Jackie Trad and forced Grace Grace into hiding.

No government that has three treasurers in two days can get a grip on the economy.

Labor usually responds to scandals by creating a diversion – and Annastacia Palaszczuk’s latest pick as treasurer, Cameron Dick, has produced a first-class furphy.

He declared that Labor would rescue Virgin Australia with “some sort of financial instrument” costing $200 million.

The plan was light on detail, but details don’t bother Mr Dick – especially as Labor’s rescue bid will almost certainly never be needed.

Around 18 private investors are circling the failed airline, and only one is required to get Virgin’s aircraft back in the skies.

I’m confident the airline will survive in private ownership, and I’m certain Labor are the last people who should run it.

There’s no doubt that Queensland needs a second domestic airline to keep airfares low and to support aviation and tourism jobs.

But it’s not the role of the State Government to bail out a loss-making business and put taxpayers’ money at risk – especially when private investors are ready to step in.

Unlike Labor, the private sector has the financial resources and commercial skills to run an airline.

Let’s remember that Mr Dick offered Virgin a $200 million taxpayer-funded loan just 48 hours before it went into administration.

That money would have been wasted if Mr Dick had got his way.

That near-miss should have convinced the Treasurer that he’s no Richard Branson, but Labor treasurers are slow learners.

If Labor wants to create jobs instead of creating headlines, it should put $200 million into a tourism marketing war chest.

As LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said yesterday, Queensland’s tourism industry will soon be in a State of Origin battle for Australian tourists.

International tourists won’t be coming back anytime soon, so every state will be desperate for domestic tourists.

What we urgently need from the State Government is an all-out marketing blitz to get Aussies to take their next holiday here in Queensland.

The fund proposed by the LNP would be used to back Brand Queensland, as well as destination marketing, to maximise our tourist appeal.

While the private sector will invest in Virgin, it will not invest in the marketing campaign Queensland needs.

Selling our state is the responsibility of the Queensland Government.

Annastacia Palaszczuk and her team should remember that.

It’s time for Labor to stop worrying about their own careers and start acting in the interests of all Queenslanders.

Tim Mander is Queensland shadow treasurer