Qld election 2020: Annastacia Palaszczuk targets Gold Coast seats as campaign reaches final stages

Annastacia Palaszczuk will receive a final briefing on Friday morning before a decision is made on the Queensland border. It comes as the  Premier stages a final campaign blitz on the Gold Coast. 

Welcome to The Courier Mail's live rolling coverage of the Queensland 2020 state election. 

Stay up to date with the latest on the campaign trail in our live blog below.

Making news today: 

• Premier defends 'robust' hotel quarantine'
• Premier's Gold Coast campaign blitz 
• LNP costings released: No asset sales, forced redundancies 

Updates

3:43 pm October 29, 2020 Highlight

Premier 'swamped' during shopping centre visit

Lesley Hunter-Nolan

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has made a surprise visit to a Brisbane shopping centre in a must win electorate, where she was swamped by shoppers.

She barely made it pass the doors of the Garden City Shopping Centre in Upper Mount Gravatt, where she was approached by dozens of punters asking for selfies and photos.

The busy shopping centre is located in the Mansfield electorate – held by Labor’s Corrine McMillan by a slim margin of 1.6 per cent.

But an exclusive Courier-Mail Newspoll last week put the seat in doubt for Labor, with the LNP leading on a two party preferred basis 50.5 per cent to 49.5 per cent.

The Premier took photos with shoppers and school students, and met a new mum and her baby – but social distancing was strictly followed.

The shopping centre walk through can be fraught with risk for a politician, but there were no negative encounters for Ms Palaszczuk who was accompanied by Ms McMillan.

The local MP tried to play down this week’s poll, saying she was only concerned about the result on Saturday night.

“It’s always lovely to have our Premier in our community,” Ms McMillan said.

– Jack McKay

3:31 pm October 29, 2020 Highlight

LNP costings: Forced redundancies, asset sales ruled out

Caitlin Smith

An LNP Government would increase Labor’s public sector hiring freeze, slash $750 million in waste across the government, and borrow nearly half of what Labor would to pay for its election costings.

The party’s costings, released on Thursday after sustained attacks from Labor over supposed cuts for public service employees, show no cuts through forced redundancies or asset sales and no new taxes.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

10:15 am October 17, 2024

Annastacia Palaszczuk has launched a final blitz on the Gold Coast ahead of Saturday’s election, as Labor tries to chip away at the LNP stronghold.

The Premier used the second final day before polls close to talk about Labor’s previously announced plan to upgrade the Spit, detailing how they would spend $23 million of the commitment.

Ms Palaszczuk is visiting five electorates across the Gold Coast today, where the LNP holds all but one electorate.

“For too long now, the LNP has taken the Gold Coast for granted,” the Premier said.

“It’s about time the people of the Gold Coast can send the LNP a message – that they have not lived up to people’s expectations, they have not been strong advocates.”

12:51 pm October 29, 2020 Highlight

Final briefing ahead of Friday border announcement

Caitlin Smith

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will receive a final briefing tomorrow morning before a decision is made to reopen the Queensland border.

Ms Palaszczuk is due to announce the decision on Friday, just one day before polls close, after initially flagging a November 1 reopening last month.

Pressed today about what options she had been given ahead of making the decision, she insisted she had not been given any yet.

"That will come from the Chief Health Officer. That's the way the Chief Health Officer works," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"It's a matter for her. She will advise us and we will tell the public."

12:44 pm October 29, 2020 Highlight

Premier defends 'robust' hotel quarantine

Caitlin Smith

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has insisted Queensland has a very “robust” hotel quarantine system, despite telling voters on Wednesday that it “cannot cope at the moment”.

Ms Palaszczuk today appeared to back away from the comments made at yesterday’s Sky News/Courier-Mail leaders’ debate – saying Queensland “can absolutely cope” with what it needs to do for international arrivals.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

12:40 pm October 29, 2020 Highlight

Premier's Gold Coast campaign blitz

Caitlin Smith

Annastacia Palaszczuk has launched a final blitz on the Gold Coast ahead of Saturday’s election, as Labor tries to chip away at the LNP stronghold.

The Premier used the second final day before polls close to talk about Labor’s previously announced plan to upgrade the Spit, detailing how they would spend $23 million of the commitment.

Ms Palaszczuk is visiting five electorates across the Gold Coast today, where the LNP holds all but one electorate.

“For too long now, the LNP has taken the Gold Coast for granted,” the Premier said.

“It’s about time the people of the Gold Coast can send the LNP a message – that they have not lived up to people’s expectations, they have not been strong advocates.”