Qld Election 2020: Deb Frecklington’s smash on anti-vaccination candidates
Annastacia Palaszczuk has stopped short of promising to run for re-election in 2024, while making a call on what would happen if she wins this month’s election. It comes as her rival Deb Frecklington delivered a serve to anti-vaccination candidates.
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LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has lashed out at anti-vaxxer candidates saying they do not “deserve” to be on the ballot paper.
The criticism follows the LNP’s move to preference a renowned anti-vaxxer party below Labor after originally saying it would put the ALP at the bottom of the ballot in all electorates.
Ms Frecklington said she was “unashamed” about putting “anyone that risks the safety and the health of children” last.
“They don’t even deserve to be on the ballot paper,” she said.
Ms Frecklington committed early in the campaign to preferencing Labor last due to the Palaszczuk Government’s uncertainty around approvals for an expansion of the New Acland coal mine on the Darling Downs.
However she left some wriggle room, saying a final decision would be made after all candidates had been finalised.
An LNP spokesman told the Courier-Mail the party had made an exception to put the Informed Medical Options Party (IMOP) below Labor because it “fundamentally disagrees” with its “position on vaccines.”
Annastacia Palaszczuk has committed to serving the full term as Premier if she wins on October 31, but has stopped short of promising to run for re-election in 2024.
Ms Palaszczuk visited Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast today, where she announced a re-elected Labor government would spend $74 million to help rebuild the tourism industry.
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The commitment includes $15 million to provide one-off funding injections to regional tourism organisations and $15 million for a marketing blitz to lure travellers to the Sunshine State.
Another $20 million will be spent on an “events boost” as well as $20 million for a “Queensland Tourism Activation Fund”.
The Premier said she wanted the money to go out the door “as quickly possible”, acknowledging those tourism operators that were doing it tough.
“So many tourism jobs bring so much to our economy and we know that the tourism sector has been hit hard during the COVID crisis and we want to continue to support them,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“This is absolutely vital. We also want to make sure that we’re preparing for the future.
“And when we do see all of Australia open up, of course we want to see everyone welcome back to Queensland.”
The funding for the commitment will come from the $4 billion in borrowings that the government has previously announced.
Meanwhile, Ms Palaszczuk confirmed she would serve as Premier for the full term if she wins on October 31.
But she stopped short of committing to running again in 2024, saying: “I’m not going to get ahead of myself there ... that’s up to the people of Queensland”.
“One step at a time,” she said.
“I’m focused on election day. I can commit to serving the full term.”
If Ms Palaszczuk’s government is re-elected on October 31 and she serves the full term, she will become the state’s fourth longest serving premier – overtaking Peter Beattie.
She again insisted the election would be “tough”, despite a new Newspoll in The Australian today showing Labor is ahead of the LNP 52 per cent to 48 per cent on a two party preferred basis.
It puts Ms Palaszczuk on track to win a third term in the state’s top job, and mirrors a YouGov the Courier-Mail poll from two weeks ago.
MARINE RESCUE BOATS PROMISE
THE LNP will build the next fleet of marine rescue boats in Queensland under a buy local procurement policy for government contracts.
LNP leader Deb Frecklington said billions of dollars in government contracts were flowing interstate and overseas instead of into the pockets of Queensland businesses.
She said the LNP’s policy would boost a weighting for local companies from 30 per cent to 70 per cent to give them a better chance of securing lucrative contracts.
The policy will apply to Queensland companies in the food, manufacturing and medical supplies industries.
“We believe that if you’re domiciled here in Queensland you deserve to get a go,” Ms Frecklington said.
She said costings would still be an important factor in the weightings for a contract.
“It is very important that cost is a factor because of course you have to maintain value for the Queensland taxpayer dollar,” she said.
Deputy leader and treasury spokesman Tim Mander said the LNP was going to do “everything possible to stimulate the economy and create an environment where more jobs can be created”.
“What’s happened is that Labor has affected local communities by awarding contracts continually to interstate and international firms and this policy will change that,” he said.
The LNP’s first move under the policy would be to commit $25m to restore the ageing voluntary marine rescue fleet using Queensland boat builders.
