State election voting Townsville: Candidates give final pitch to voters
As voters head to the polling booths today, we asked Townsville, Thuringowa and Mundingburra’s main candidates to give us their final pitch on the biggest issues they’ll tackle — and why they deserve your vote.
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As voters head to the polling booths today, we asked Townsville’s main candidates to give us their final pitch.
TOWNSVILLE
Scott Stewart, Labor
“It’s really clear why Labor is the choice, because we have a very clear plan of where we’re going, how we’re delivering it and it’s fully costed and fully funded. You look at the LNP, they’ve got the slick slogans, but there is no depth and we know David Crisafulli flip flops to whatever’s popular. He did it on the abortion stuff, he’s done it when he was in Cairns and he voted for the truth-telling in parliament in Cairns and then a couple of weeks later, flip flopped and said he’s not going to do it.
David Crisafulli, when he got voted out of his seat here in Mundingburra said to me you’ll never see this name on the ballot again. Well here we are. Why would people believe the LNP and what David Crisafulli says when they’ve got slick slogans, no depth, no funding, they can’t tell us how they’re going to deliver it, as opposed to Labor who has a very clear plan about where we’re heading the vision for Queensland, the vision for North Queensland and the vision for Townsville, fully funded, fully costed with strategies and plans in place.”
Adam Baillie, LNP
“Townsville and Queensland desperately need a fresh start. As an electrician with my own business, I have seen first-hand the impacts of the crime crisis with the sheer volume of requests from scared Townsville families to install CCTV cameras and more sophisticated alarm systems. It’s not on, so I put up my hand for the seat of Townsville, because it needs to be represented by someone who will act on the crime and cost-of-living crises. Scott Stewart and his Labor Government have had nine years to do something about it and have failed at every step. I have listened to the community in Townsville. I’ve knocked on doors in the suburbs and visited Palm Island and Magnetic Island. The common theme across the electorate is that despite a lot of talk from Labor, things aren’t getting better. We need a change of government.
Margie Ryder, KAP
“A vote for Margie Ryder means a vote for North Queensland.
Someone who isn’t tied to Brisbane, destined to vote for more Brisbane tunnels and Olympics, or with party headquarters 1000 miles away.
Margie is someone with real business and event experience, and half a lifetime of volunteering.
And one thing’s for sure, Margie will say it how it is and give it to Brisbane – to make sure Townsville gets its fair share, not more to Brisbane.
Townsville, you have a chance to break away from the Brisbane parties and their wish to silence North Queensland. A vote for Margie is a vote for our future.
Who else is running: Alan Butt – One Nation, William Tento – Family First Party, Wesley Newman – Independent, Benjamin Tiley, The Greens.
MUNDINGBURRA
Les Walker, Labor
“I’m a first term state member, 24 years of public life and I’ve continually delivered in my first term, over $2 billion has been delivered in the seat of Mundingburra with a vision and a plan and the Miles Labor Government has continually planned and had a vision for the future of North Queensland.
We’ve got a half expansion of the hospital, a new helipad, 143 new beds, four theatres. We’ve got a pediatric cardiac unit, the new hybrid theatre. I’ve got a new four lane duplication of Stuart Drive, a new four-lane Bridge at Bowen Raod. There’s more planned for the roundabout at Annandale, an upgrade there and my vision for a second bridge at Rooneys Bridge at Railway Estate to take the traffic from the stadium. We have a plan. We have a vision. We haven’t heard anything from the other side, small target, and they continually dodge anything with a vision because they don’t want to kick their toe and make a big mistake at the final straight.
That’s why they need to vote for the Miles Labor government, get me back in there. Because I keep delivering time and time again. At the end of the day, I will be there tooth and nail until the end and if I happen to be in opposition, which I don’t wish to be, I will make sure that they know I’m there everyday of the week.”
Janelle Poole, LNP
“The people of Mundingburra are choosing the best person to represent them for the next four years.
Here in our city crime is out of control, ambulance ramping is at record highs, housing shortages are driving up rents and the cost of living is rising fast.
I’m asking for your support, so I can use my 28 years of community policing and community volunteering experience, to be a strong and determined voice for Mundingburra.
We have a decision to make. Another Labor government will get you four more years of crime, cost of living increases, more expensive housing and a struggling health care system.
Support for minor parties, such as the Katter Party, puts at risk the change and the fresh start that Queensland and our community need. Only the LNP can deliver a change of government.”
Michael Pugh, KAP
“We can no longer afford Brisbane party-based politics to be dictating the future of Mundingburra and Townsville any longer. We’ve seen what it has done over the last many years and it has simply not worked.
We need, and the people of Mundingburra deserve, a North Queensland voice in parliament and that’s what they will get with the KAP.
A voice that has their head office, the only party that has their head office right here in Townsville, with real North Queensland based, common sense solutions for North Queensland issues.”
Who else is running: Rebecca Haley – The Greens and Mick Olsen – One Nation.
THURINGOWA
Aaron Harper, Labor
“As a local member I’ve got a long and proud track history of delivering improved services and infrastructure across the board.
“As a former paramedic, I have a bias in improving health services and not too many MPs in parliament can say they’ve delivered a new ambulance station, a new fire station and a new police station during their time.
“Youth crime is an important issue and through my work on the youth justice reform select committee I’m determined to make change. Through the community safety bill we’ve ratcheted up sentencing to 14 years for serious offences particularly violence in homes and vehicles, ramming emergency vehicles, expanded Jack’s Law, sharing digital data, established a victims’ commissioner, removed youth detention as a last resort and we obviously have to keep working to improve the issue further.
“The generational dysfunction it’s caused … it’s affected our communities and we have to tackle it with a multifaceted approach with early intervention, detention when people need to be held to account as well as rehabilitation and work to reduce reoffending.
“I’ve been a member here for three terms, have a long track record delivering on health, education, roads and what I’ve got to offer is more commitments like the Ross River Dam boat ramp, the new fire station and a long list of funding commitments to local sporting clubs.”
Natalie Marr, LNP
“Our community is hurting. Our community wants change. Our community deserves better.
I have spent the last four years engaging with the people of Thuringowa, knocking on doors, holding weekly market stalls and attending community events — to listen to you.
Crime is the key issue facing Thuringowa, as offending continues to surge and hold our local community hostage and the number of victims grows.
Only the LNP has a comprehensive plan to address the crime crisis and put the rights of victims first. We will implement our Making Our Community Safer Plan, including Adult Crime Adult Time, investing in gold standard early intervention and mandatory rehabilitation.
We must also address the health care, cost of living and housing affordability challenges. I want our community to reach its full potential, for our future.”
Reuben Richardson, KAP
“We are a North Queensland-based party pushing for North Queensland-based solutions for these issues. I really want to see these crime issues gone.
I think the people of Thuringowa have just been getting abused by the government inaction, the poor government policies in this space. We are talking many small businesses we are talking many homes that have been broken into, we are talking families and children that have been shooken up.
One example, a break-in occurred through the child’s bedroom and now the child isn’t happy to sleep in their bedroom, so you are talking long term issues that are occurring due to this and the fallout from all the different cars that have been stolen affecting the businesses and families.
We just really want to see change in our community and I’ve put up my hand to represent the people of Thuringowa to bring about these solutions for these problems and make sure that we are actually also bringing about wealth for our region as well, with North Queensland based solutions.”
Who else is running: Steven Clare – One Nation, Roxanne Kennedy-Perriman and Natasha Lane – Independent.
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