Campaigning at Nerang, on the Gold Coast in the marginal Labor seat of Gaven, Ms Palaszczuk said she had brought the contentious issue into the campaign because it was “important” to many Queenslanders.
Qld Election 2020: No new cases as leaders launch campaigns
Opinion: We all deserve to die with dignity so quit stalling on euthanasia laws
Campaign for voluntary-assisted dying legislation before October poll
Ms Palaszczuk made the surprise announcement at her campaign launch on Sunday, revealing Labor would introduce legislation to legalise euthanasia in February, forcing the Queensland Law Reform Commission to rush its review of the issue due back by March.
“Our investment in $170m in palliative care is so important...so families and people who are impacted have a very clear choice about how they end their life. I think it’s very important that people have dignity in death,” Ms Palaszcuk said on the Gold Coast on Monday morning.
“That’s why I said yesterday if we are reelected, we’ll introduce legislation in February, this is a very personal decision, between an individual and the medical practitioners, it’s a very very important issue that people discuss for their end of life care.”
“And yes, I would vote for it.”
Asked why she would rush the QLRC to bring forward draft legislation in February rather than March as planned, Ms Palaszczuk said she would give the commission extra resources.
“I think it’s a very important issue for Queenslanders, it’s been raised with me countless times, and there’s no reason any extra assistance the Law Reform Commission is needed, we can bring that forward, so the parliament can have a vote.
“As I’ve said, it’ll be a conscience vote for the members of my team if we are reelected, and I hope it is a conscience vote for all parliamentarians.”
She said she did not tell the Catholic archbishop that nothing would happen on voluntary assisted dying before March.
Meanwhile, Deb Frecklington has refused to say whether she personally supports euthanasia but says no one should have to die in pain.
The Opposition Leader, who has promised to grant her MPs a conscience vote on euthanasia should laws come before the House, said it was a deeply personal issue.
"I will wait and see the response from the (Queensland) Law Reform Commission and this is an issue that is serious and it affects people's lives so it is important that we listen to the complex nature of the laws and that's why the Law Reform Commission is looking at drafting those laws," she said.
Pressed on whether she supported the premise of euthanasia, regardless of any laws, Ms Frecklington said she believed no one should have to die alone or in pain.
It comes after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday revealed a re-elected Labor Government would introduce voluntary-assisted dying laws in February next year, rushing the QLRC which had been asked to draft legislation by March 1, 2020.
Ms Frecklington also said the party would review the gestational limits in Queensland's abortion laws, which currently allows a woman to request a termination for any reason up until 22 weeks.
"We have said that we would be looking at gestation limits and certainly around coercion," she said.
She refused to say what her preferred gestational limit would be.
Ms Palaszczuk visited a small natural skincare business in Nerang, Grahams Natural Alternatives, to announce $140m in small business funding. It would be funded by extra borrowings, as part of the Treasurer’s $500m Backing Queensland Investment Fund.
She also said the government had identified a state-owned site to build the new Coomera hospital at the Gold Coast.
Live Updates
Thousands of Queenslanders are estimated to have already cast their ballot in the state election, as the Electoral Commission of Queensland anticipates a record early voting turnout.
There were snaking queues at early voting centres around the state early on Monday morning, including in Townsville, as people, particularly those rusted on to their preferred parties, cast their vote.
The ECQ estimates only 30 per cent of the 3.3 million Queenslander’s on the electoral roll will be left to vote on election day proper.
It follows trends of recent elections, including the Northern Territory Election in August and Queensland’s local government elections in March.
By the close of pre-poll centres in the Territory, 53 per cent of those enrolled had cast their ballot, either via pre-poll, by post, or via remote early polling stations.
The ECQ found, in its local government election report, that more than 1.2 million Queenslanders attended an early voting centre at the 2020 local government elections, compared to the approximately 500,000 early votes cast at the 2016 local government elections.
Griffith University political analyst Paul Williams said those heading to the polls this week will be the rusted-on voters, those “passionate” about keeping Labor in power or wholeheartedly wanting to give Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk the boot.
Politicians and party volunteers were out in force at Townsville’s main early voting centre on Monday morning, with ECQ staff strictly enforcing social distancing regulations.
Alex Simmons, who lives in the marginal Thuringowa electorate, pointed to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and said she had done a good job keeping Queensland safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I want this lady back in so I’m going to vote for him (Aaron Harper),” he said.
Retiree Terry Lyons, from the electorate of Mundingburra, headed to the polls on day 1 to ensure he wouldn’t forget.
Mr Lyons said how he voted, which he opted not to disclose, depended on which party he could trust.
Clive Palmer's United Australia Party was forced to edit campaign material after a social media blitz claimed Labor will introduce a death tax if it regains control of the Queensland parliament in the upcoming state election.
Labor issued a complaint to both Facebook and Twitter about a video featuring Mr Palmer's wife, Anna Palmer, saying the incumbent government will adopt a death tax of 20 per cent if it is re-elected on October 31.
But Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has repeatedly denied the allegation, telling reporters on Friday the suggestion was "absolutely ridiculous".
"It is definitely not true and I find it offensive, absolutely offensive that he would be doing this in the midst of an election campaign," she said.
"What Clive Palmer is doing at the moment is irresponsible, it is wrong and it is dishonest."
The United Australia Party modified its campaign material but released a series of tweets on Monday morning quoting Mr Palmer making flimsy assertions about his rival's plan for a death tax.
“Our sources from treasury and close to Labor have told us that this State Government if re-elected will introduce a death tax," Mr Palmer said, according to the party's tweets. "I personally believe this is why four Labor ministers have resigned recently.
“The public has the right to know Annastacia Palaszczuk is trying to control people in Queensland like Daniel Andrews has done in Victoria. Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party won’t be silenced. We will speak up so Labor can be exposed."
Deputy premier Steven Miles said the modifications to the material isn't enough and accused Mr Palmer of being "tricky" by inserting the word "could" among the tax claims.
"The word ‘could’ is pretty tricky," he told reporters on Monday. "I mean, I could say that Deb Frecklington is a Russian sleeper agent. But she’s not and I won’t say that. But this is what Clive is doing with his ads, these are just more LNP lies and Deb Frecklington has to distance herself from them."
Follow the campaign breaking news blog below for the latest news from the campaign trail.
The Labor and LNP candidates for the hyper-marginal seat of Pumicestone have held nothing back in a heated debate that covered everything from COVID-19 to pelicans.
WATCH THE REPLAY HERE
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington wouldn't be drawn on new polling that revealed the Labor Government has the trust of more Queenslanders to create jobs, instead referring to the state's high unemployment rate.
The latest Newspoll published in The Australian today shows 43 per cent of voters believe Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor would be more effective at job creation compared to 29 per cent for the LNP under Leader Deb Frecklington.
Ms Frecklington said Queenslanders only needed to look at the last five years, "at the absolute failure of economic record under Annastacia Palaszczuk".
"In fact, right now we have the highest unemployment rate in the nation and it's been that way for four years. That is the record of Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Labor Government," she said.
Queensland's unemployment rate hit 7.7 per cent last week.
– Domanii Cameron
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington wouldn't be drawn on new polling that revealed the Labor Government has the trust of more Queenslanders to create jobs, instead referring to the state's high unemployment rate.
The latest Newspoll published in The Australian today shows 43 per cent of voters believe Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor would be more effective at job creation compared to 29 per cent for the LNP under Leader Deb Frecklington.
Ms Frecklington said Queenslanders only needed to look at the last five years, "at the absolute failure of economic record under Annastacia Palaszczuk".
"In fact, right now we have the highest unemployment rate in the nation and it's been that way for four years. That is the record of Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Labor Government," she said.
Queensland's unemployment rate hit 7.7 per cent last week.
– Domanii Cameron
Deb Frecklington was in the eighth safest Labor seat of Lytton this morning to announce an LNP Government would make Queensland the "recycling state".
Joined with Lytton candidate Gordon Walters and Redlands candidate Henry Pike, Ms Frecklington said the party would impose a ban on all batteries and electronics from going into landfill.
Lytton is held by Labor's Joan Pease with a margin of 12.02 per cent.
The LNP also committed $50 million to work with councils to build a "new wave" of roads from recycled plastic waste like bottles and bags, and will establish a solar panel recycling industry.
Ms Frecklington said the party would initiate a reverse auction to establish a solar panel recycling facility in Queensland and would fast-track planning approvals for new and better recycling infrastructure.
"It's an exciting day for the environment, it's an exciting day for new industry and it's an exciting day for new jobs," she said.
"The first stage of the LNP's recycling plan today is to build green roads out of recycled products.
"A kilometre of a green road would use 100,000 plastic bags and 150,000 beer bottles that is right now going into landfill."
The LNP's "goal" is to ban e-waste from going into landfill by 2024.
"Labor are great at recycling promises, but not waste," Ms Frecklington said.
– Domanii Cameron
