Ashley Robinson, Sandy Zubrinich reveal hopes for 2024 Qld election
Two Sunshine Coast business experts have revealed their hopes surrounding the state election, with one tipping the LNP will maintain its popularity in the region.
QLD Votes
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Votes. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Two Sunshine Coast business stalwarts have revealed what they need most from the party that wins power in the 2024 state election, with one tipping the LNP would remain popular in the region.
Longtime resident and Metropolitan Caloundra Surf Life Saving Club CEO Ashley Robinson said he could not see any reason why LNP candidates would not keep their seats on the Sunshine Coast in the 2024 election.
He noted many candidates, particularly deputy leader of the opposition and Kawana candidate Jarrod Bleijie, who Mr Robinson has supported, have made a lot of promises this year.
“I just hope they follow it all through,” he said.
Having worked in Alexandra Headland for 15 years, Mr Robinson said incumbent member for Maroochydore and LNP candidate Fiona Simpson was very supportive in the past, especially to small business, and he did not expect this to change dramatically.
Now working as CEO of the surf club, Mr Robinson said the Labor Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt had “done well as a local member” and would likely hold his seat.
He said either Mr Hunt or the first-time LNP candidate Kendall Moreton would “be good for Caloundra” regardless of who would end up in power.
Mr Robinson said the LNP may try a bit harder in following years to win the Caloundra seat if Mr Hunt was re-elected this year.
Mr Robinson said he was “not a fan of party politics” and had been disappointed in leader campaigns on both sides, claiming a lot of promises had been made without seeing a lot of work.
He declared he would always support Mr Bleijie and Ms Simpson as candidates regardless of which party they belonged to.
“Let’s hope the Sunshine Coast in particular gets a good deal for the next four years,” Mr Robinson said.
Sunshine Coast Business Council chairwoman Sandy Zubrinich said this would be a “really important election” with a housing crisis gripping the region and private sector investment stalling on the Sunshine Coast.
Ms Zubrinich said her council would be looking for the next state government to very quickly complete the “practical things” required to get investment flowing and address issues limiting economic growth.
As an independent industry group, Ms Zubrinich said she looked at policies rather than each party itself, attempting to talk with Labor and the LNP about regional issues in the past 12 months.
Gaining slightly more success getting in touch with the LNP, the group had discussed the importance of heavy rail between Maroochydore and Brisbane in the lead-up to the Olympics, which only the LNP promised to deliver in time, Ms Zubrinich said.
She promised to “very quickly” remind the LNP of its commitments in terms of rail, should the party win the election.
She said current housing policies were not working.
Ms Zubrinich said she and her council looked forward to working with the government to address things which were limiting economic growth on the Sunshine Coast, getting houses built and opening up land.
She warned the Sunshine Coast would be “in dire straits” if these issues are not addressed.
Labor’s Jason Hunt won the seat of Caloundra on his third attempt in 2020, with a 5.9 per cent swing.
The LNP’s first-time candidate and business-owner Kendall Morton has run a community-focused election campaign, including door knocking about 10,000 Caloundra homes.
Ms Morton said residents overwhelmingly told her the area’s transport infrastructure was their number one concern.
The electorate, which encompasses Baringa, Currimundi and Pelican Waters, was promised a $400m upgrade to road infrastructure by the LNP.
Early exit polls, collected at two pre-polling locations in Caloundra, indicated an initial large swing to Ms Morton, taking 50 per cent of the votes from 100 people.
One of Queensland’s longest-serving MP Fiona Simpson marked three decades as the local member for Maroochydore in 2022.
Ms Simpson told this publication her key promise to constituents in the state election was the delivery of the Mooloolah River Interchange.
Labor’s first-time candidate Naomi McQueen promised to continue working with her party to deliver health and education services and better local jobs.
In Nicklin, Labor’s Rob Skelton snatched the seat from the LNP’s Marty Hunt in 2020 by a tiny 0.1 per cent margin.
This election sees them battle it out again, with Mr Skelton vowing to fight for the $14b Lake Borumba Pumped Hydro scheme to create jobs and provide cheaper electricity and advocate for a Sunshine Coast Satellite Hospital.
Mr Hunt previously held the seat between 2017 and 2020, and has promised to “ensure safety where you live” through strong laws and early intervention and better rehabilitation.
Independent Sandy Bolton first won the Noosa electorate in 2017 from the LNP; at the 2020 state election Ms Bolton held the seat with a margin of 11.5 per cent.
Ms Bolton said she has worked with both major parties and held them to account, promising the “voices” of Noosa will be heard and expectations are delivered upon.
Noosa’s former and first female mayor, Clare Stewart, for LNP promised to back the LNP’s Making Queensland Safer Laws, advocate for investment into the region’s hospital and deliver sustainable housing and infrastructure.
The biggest issues facing the electorate include controversial state facilitated housing developments, which are set to overpower local planning schemes.
LNP MP and former detective, Dan Purdie, first won the seat of Ninderry in 2017, when the electorate was created.
He emphasised one of his top priorities is to ensure safety of residents by providing police with laws and resources they deserve.
Mr Purdie also
Labor candidate Jo Justo called out the electorate had “missed out” on things to make the community function and vowed to use her skills to “get things done.”
Horror head-on crashes on the Sunshine Motorway turned the busy road an election issue, with Ms Justo promising to ‘fast-track’ upgrades earlier this week.
Incumbent MP Andrew Powell has held the seat of Glass House since 2009.
He declared he had been consistently fighting for intersection upgrades along the D’Aguilar Hwy and improvement to Mount Mee Rd at Ocean View, with his sights sets on more road improvements in the northern part of the electorate.
Labor Humphrey Caspersz, first-time candidate and father of four said he was passionate about healthcare services closer to home and education and secure job opportunities.
He declared free kindy and TAFE are key initiatives he wants to keep in place for children.
Deputy opposition leader Jarrod Bleijie has firmly held onto to the seat of Kawana for the past 15 years.
He promised to continue fighting for the region’s infrastructure, including the Sunshine Coast Direct Rail to Maroochydore and the Mooloolah River Interchange.
Labor’s Jim Dawson, the man who’s name infamously slipped the premier’s mind during a local press conference, has kept an otherwise low profile during the election campaign.
He promised the electorate to keep delivering the Labor Government’s cost of living relief initiatives including 50 cent transport fares and 20 per cent off car registration.
LNP candidate Brent Mickelberg has held the Buderim seat since 2017.
He promised to work alongside state and federal LNP members to obtain services and infrastructure for the Sunshine Coast.
Labor candidate Adrian said he is driven to support Sunshine Coast families by supporting the Labor Government’s cost of living relief including 50 cent fares and free kindy.
“Every Queensland community will benefit from the Miles Government’s vision for renewables in the Sunshine State and it’s a team I am proud to be part of,” he said.
Minister weighs in on biggest problem for police
Police Minister Mark Ryan has weighed in on an issue that’s putting enormous strain on police, leading one officer to comment that they’re being treated as ‘de facto social workers’.
Labor will fall well short, but troubles lie ahead for Crisafulli
Even rusted-on Labor voters are resigned to the fact that the Palaszczuk-Miles era is all but over. I’m tipping the ALP will likely fall short by as many as 20 seats in Saturday’s state election, writes Des Houghton.