Julieanne Gilbert fires back as LNP cop candidate tries for Labor’s Mackay safe seat

After a statement from Whitsundays MP Amanda Camm at the unveiling of the LNPs ‘underdog’ candidate for Mackay, MP Julieanne Gilbert has fired back. SEE WHAT WAS SAID

The campaigning has begun following the announcement of a former Police Officer as the LNPs candidate to challenge Labors North Queensland safe seat.

Campaigning has begun following the announcement of a former Police Officer as the LNPs candidate to challenge Labors North Queensland safe seat.

Nigel Dalton emphasised the need for change in Mackay, highlighting criminal behaviour as the main issue.

“I spoke to a family in Glenella who had their car stolen, they want change,” Mr Dalton said.

“Some people had their motorbikes stolen from a business in Paget this morning, they want change.”

Opposition leader David Crisafuli announces new Mackay candidate Nigel Dalton with Whitsundays MP Amanda Camm at Blue Water Quay. June 3, 2024. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Sitting Labor member for Mackay, Julieanne Gilbert, highlighted the state funding that went to programs that, as the Mackay District Crime Prevention Coordinator, Mr Dalton was part of developing.

“The state government has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in the position that the candidate was working in,” he said.

“If he’s saying youth crime is out of control here, that was his program that money was pumped into to reduce youth crime.”

Shadow Minister for Child Protection Amanda Camm at Southport. Picture Glenn Hampson

Whitsundays MP Amanda Camm asked Mackay voters to consider the “failings” of the sitting MP Julieanne Gilbert.

“She has failed in advocating for our community on the big issues of housing, of youth crime and the crisis that we see impacting families here across our region,” she said.

“Also as an assistant minister of health she oversaw the butchering of over 100 women at Mackay Base Hospital.”

Ms Gilbert has fired back at the Whitsundays MP comment and said, “that is an outrageous thing for a woman to say”.

“In this position and in Mackay, it goes to show what sort of a character Ms Camm has.”

“We have pumped huge amounts of money into North Queensland, we are developing industries and we have got new state development areas opening up.”

Yesterday Mr Dalton asked “why can’t we build places for people to live in?” in response to a question about his targets for social housing to which Ms Gilbert has highlighted the announcement of 600 new modular homes as well as the fast tracking of a new social housing project for North Mackay announced on April 3 by the state government.

“We find it very difficult to get builders to actually do the building here,” she said.

“We are continually looking for ways to solve those issues … including paying for the LNP candidate to run programs to reduce youth crime.”