Nine of ten Labor cash splashes in Queensland in marginal or target seats data shows

Almost nine of every 10 electorate-specific election commitments made by federal Labor in Queensland have been in marginal or target seats, analysis has revealed.

Almost nine in 10 electorate-specific project commitments made by federal Labor across Queensland have been in marginal or targeted seats, analysis has revealed, despite leader Anthony Albanese labelling claims the Opposition party was pork-barrelling as “nonsense”.

Labor has announced nearly $173 million worth of seat-specific infrastructure commitments – including sporting ground upgrades, pools and road improvements – across Queensland.

But of the 25 announcement tracked by The Courier-Mail so far, just three were in non-targeted, safe Coalition seats.

All other funding commitments were for marginal Coalition-held seats including Dickson and Leichhardt, marginal Labor-held seats such as Blair, Lilley and Griffith and electorates the Opposition has stated it is targeting, such as Flynn.

While some of the promised projects were formally announced, others have been promoted by the local candidate and frontbenchers on social media without official media releases.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham slammed Labor’s “spending binge” in marginal and target seats as “rank hypocrisy of the highest order”.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese (centre) in Brisbane’s Mitchelton yesterday with Labor candidate for Ryan Peter Cossar. Picture: Sarah Marshall/NCA NewsWire

Mr Albanese, who was in Brisbane yesterday, rubbished accusations Labor was pork-barrelling by stealth, saying it was “absurd” to compare the spending to sports grants the Government had at times allocated based on electorates rather than merit.

He argued a $22 million funding injection for a major industrial precinct in Townsville announced this week was located in Bob Katter country – evidence safe seats were getting funding too.

Mr Albanese also argued the Gladstone-based seat of Flynn – where Labor has so far promised $15 million for an aquatic centre and nearly $5 million for an industry hub – was held by the LNP with a “considerable margin”.

But Flynn has been a clear target seat for Labor since it picked highly popular mayor Matt Burnett as its candidate.

“The truth is that we won’t be lectured by a government that has got out colour-coded spreadsheets, not for election commitments, for government programs,” Mr Albanese said.

Senator Birmingham said the Labor leader was speaking with a “forked tongue”.

“Labor’s spending binge in marginal and target seats is rank hypocrisy of the highest order,” he said.

“Labor is always quick to criticise our government’s spending decisions, yet even before the election has begun, they’ve been busy splashing cash in marginal or target seats.”

Federal Labor yesterday announced $40 million for marine infrastructure upgrades in the Torres Strait within the marginal seat of Leichhardt, $500,000 for a women’s centre in safe Coalition-held Bowman, and $5 million for a veterans’ hub, likely to be in Longman.