State Election 2020 Exclusive: five things we learned from Gold Coast campaign this week
In a Bulletin online exclusive, every week leading up to the October Queensland election we will detail the five things we learned in the past week about the State poll campaign on the Gold Coast.
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IN a Bulletin online exclusive, leading up to the October Queensland election, we will detail the five things we learned in the past week about the State poll campaign on the Gold Coast.
(1) The Gold Coast bulletin has launched an election live blog, where you can submit your burning questions about the city's political scene - check back every Friday at 12pm to see them answered.
QUESTION TIME: OUR JOURNALISTS ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
(2) The Gold Coasts' election candidates have all but unanimously shot down the idea of a cruise ship terminal.
Here's what they had to say.
CANDIDATES SHOOT DOWN CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL
(3) Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon has accused LNP MP Ray Stevens of "botching" plans for a cableway.
Mr Stevens promised several years ago to deliver the cableway before the Commonwealth Games.
MP ACCUSED OF 'BOTCHING' CABLEWAY PLAN
(4) Bonney MP Sam O'Connor has described the State Government's efforts to build the Coomera Connector "a joke" and their work on the second M1 amounting to dawdling.
Mr O'Connor made the accusation during the Bulletin's Bonney election debate.
'LABOR'S PLAN FOR THE COOMERA CONNECTOR IS A COMPLETE JOKE'
(5) The husband of former Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey has revealed exactly who he's going to preference in the upcoming election.
Who he chose could determine the entire election outcome.
REVEALED: Stuckey names preferences for Currumbin
LAST WEEK:
(1) Major concerns have been raised over the Coomera Connector.
Nearby residents believe the construction could "devalue" their properties.
MAJOR CONCERNS OVER COOMERA CONNECTOR
(2) A Gold Coast election candidate has again faced court over planned coronavirus lockdown protests.
Arjay Martin has had four October protests knocked back.
ELECTION CANDIDATE FRONTS COURT OVER CORONAVIRUS PROTESTS
(3) Clive Palmer's wife Anna has announced she will stand for Currumbin seat in the state election.
Ms Palmer has been endorsed by the United Australia Party to contest the marginal seat.
CLIVE PALMER'S WIFE ANNOUNCES SHOCK ELECTION BID
(4) An independent report has revealed Gold Coast sports clubs received less than a quarter the taxpayer funded grants of Brisbane and Logan.
A Gold Coast MP has now accused Labor of "pork barrelling".
GOLD COAST CLUBS MISS OUT AS DE BRENNI STEPS IN
(5) The full list of pre-poll voting stations has been revealed.
FULL LIST: QUEENSLAND PRE-POLL LOCATIONS
LAST WEEK:
(1) A Gold Coast Federal Minister has revealed he was blindsided by Labor's $755 million M2 funding "deal".
The election pledge was made to fund the 16.6km first stage of the new road.
FEDERAL MINISTER BLINDSIDED BY FUNDING DEAL
(2) LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has promised 80 new police officers for the Gold Coast.
It follows the stabbing death of a 27-year-old father in Surfers Paradise.
LNP PROMISES 80 NEW COPS FOR COAST
(3) The RACQ has listed the Coomera Connector and light rail as major projects on its Gold Coast "election wishlist".
It's sparked a war of works between a Gold Coast MP and the Transport Minister.
SEE RACQ'S ELECTION WISHLIST FOR GOLD COAST
(4) A Gold Coast election candidate has backed a surprising plan which would see "citizen juries" debating city changes.
Greens candidate Rachel Mebberson endorsed the party's plan to have residents vote on height limits and neighbourhood plans.
GREENS PROMISE 'CITIZEN JURIES' FOR COAST
(5) A Gold Coast street will become home to the city's newest community housing.
A modern unit block has been proposed for the Southport site, put forward by Community Housing Queensland as part of an affordable housing scheme.
NEW COMMUNITY HOUSING PLAN FOR COAST
LAST WEEK:
(1) A $755 million funding injection will fast-track the Coomera Connector.
More than 700 jobs will be created when work begins on the first stage of the second M1 a new plans are revealed.
HOW FUNDING INJECTION WILL FAST-TRACK SECOND M1
(2) Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek has shocked attendees at a Gold Coast citizenship ceremony by issuing a warning to new Australians.
The outspoken MP told them not to bring their countries' "problems " to Australia.
GOLD COAST MP'S SHOCK COMMENTS DURING CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY
(3) A new southern route proposed for light rail will bypass Palm Beach and join up with the heavy rail line.
SEE NEW GOLD COAST LIGHT RAIL ROUTE
(4) A former diplomat and foreign affairs adviser to Kevin Rudd has been named as the latest Labor candidate in Mermaid Beach.
Dr Carl Ungerer will stand against sitting LNP MP Ray Stevens.
LABOR NAMES NEW MERMAID BEACH CANDIDATE
(5) Readers have shared their M1 Exit 57 horror stories as a $25 million upgrade is set to be completed.
MP Mark Boothman is now campaigning for the junction to be entirely rebuilt.
READERS SHARE EXIT 57 HORROR STORIES
EARLIER:
(1) Gold Coast MP Michael Hart has been caught out as the owner of a $1 million high-rise apartment on the proposed Palm Beach light rail route - the very same route he’s opposed for years.
GOLD COAST MP’S $1M LIGHT RAIL SECRET
(2) Surprise Labor Burleigh candidate Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew has been accused of secretly opposing the light rail.
Sources claim he’s been forced to toe the party line on the issue.
‘I‘M TOLD RABBIT DOESN’T SUPPORT LIGHT RAIL’
(3) A coronavirus protester and conspiracy theorist has stepped up as the second challenger of Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek.
Mr Langbroek told the Bulletin: “I’ll let the electorate pass judgement on that one.”
COVID PROTESTER LATEST CHALLENGER TO COAST MP
(4) An LNP plan which could see light rail head west along the heavy rail corridor has been called “diabolical” by furious Labor Transport Minister Mark Bailey.
‘THE LNP PLAN TO TAKE LIGHT RAIL WEST OF COAST IS DIABOLICAL’
(5) The 2020 State election has already gone down the gutter - with the re-emergence of a serial pest targeting a Gold Coast MP.
Now the MP has shared the stunning saga.
SHOCK REVEAL: THE SERIAL PEST TARGETING GOLD COAST MP
LAST WEEK:
(1) Former world surfing champion Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew is pre-selected to run against the LNP’s Michael Hart in Burleigh. This may return the seat to the ALP.
WAYNE “RABBIT” BARTHOLOMEW RUNS IN BURLEIGH
(2) Southport identity Susie Gallagher is pre-selected to run against the LNP’s Rob Molhoek in Southport. This is a difficult task given the margin, but shows Labor is serious about the seat.
SUSIE GALLAGHER RUNS IN SOUTHPORT
(3) The LNP’s Deb Frecklington visits the Coast and announces a multi-storey car park will be built at the Helensvale train station if the party is elected to government after the State poll.
MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK PLANNED BY HELENSVALE IN LNP PITCH
(4) Bushfire fears after the State is accused of cutting back on resourcing.
FIRE RISK: RESOURCE CUTBACKS AND COVID-19 RAISE FEARS
(5) Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek tells landlords to “bite the bullet” and ease rent demands in the struggling heart of the city.
MP GIVES SURFERS LANDLORDS AN ULTIMATUM
(1) Shock new data which shows a 17 per cent spike in Gold Coast drug offences is sparking a call for a dedicated police squad to patrol the Glitter Strip.
Bond University criminologist Dr Terry Goldsworthy crunched the data — Cairns with a 10 per cent increase and Townsville with a 9 per cent increase have dedicated drug squads.
(2) Children were at “grave risk” from the failure of Queensland Government agencies to share vital intelligence about their safety, according to a new audit.
The research follows reports in The Bulletin about children as young as 11 on the streets under care of the Department. The LNP responds with an election policy which supports the department working 24/7.
CALL FOR INDEPENDENT REVIEW AFTER 12-YEAR-OLD IS HOMELESS
(3) The Palaszczuk Government announces plans to protect and develop legal bike tracks in the Nerang national park after a campaign by protesting cyclists.
Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon said the Government would invest $200,000 for a co-designed project which will formalise a number of mountain bike trials. LNP replies with its policy of protecting tracks.
LABOR TO PROTECT AND FUND BIKE TRAILS
(4) An exclusive first look is provided of what The Spit will look like after a makeover on its northern tip.
Treasurer Cameron Dick visited the Coast to unveil the plans as tenders for the works were announced.
LATEST LOOK AT PLANS FOR THE SPIT
(5) More than $7 million will be spent on a business case on extending light rail to the Gold Coast Airport.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk along with Mayor Tom Tate and Transport Minister Mark Bailey announced the funding deal saying the southern link was critical for the city.
EARLIER for the week ending July 31.
(1) The shock early prediction is Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon and Currumbin MP Laura Gerber are both tipped to retain their marginal seats.
The LNP had been confident their hard working candidate Kirsten Jackson would beat Ms Scanlon, and Labor equally confident their busy candidate Kaylee Campradt could win this time around against Ms Gerber.
But The Bulletin spoke to political academics like Dr Paul Williams at Griffith University and political strategists for the parties — and the consensus was both MPs would win.
However, the view on whether Labor would retain government or the LNP win was much more clouded.
COVID-19 is regarded as the X-factor here. If Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk keeps the State safe, her position will be safe. But a second wave of coronavirus coupled with community restrictions — this would be a poll disaster for Labor.
SHOCK POLL PREDICTION FOR MARGINAL GOLD COAST SEATS
(2) The LNP is ramping up its transport promises on the M1.
The LNP announced a $25 million fix for gridlock on the M1’s Exit 45 at Ormeau.
Labor countered that a Transport and Main Roads plan was expected next month.
Deputy Leader Tim Mander visited Ormeau where he announced the Opposition’s plan with LNP Coomera MP Michael Crandon, as part of a $1 billion “future LNP Government” congestion fund.
The investment would see new on and off ramps as part of improvement works to the Mirambeena Drive interchange.
LNP ANNOUNCES $25 MILLION FIX FOR M1
(3) The Greens view the Gold Coast as a new political hot spot.
The party announced six candidates to run in the October poll in the 10 Coast electorates.
What will be critical in the bigger poll picture will be the impact of the party’s vote in terms of its preference flow to Labor in the marginal seats of Gaven and Currumbin.
WHAT WENT WRONG WITH GREEN VOTE IN CURRUMBIN
Veteran Green Sally Spain will stand again in Gaven. Her preferences helped Ms Scanlon beat sitting MP Sid Cramp last time around. There is conjecture about how that vote stands up.
(4) One Nation is returning to the political fight on the Gold Coast.
The Bulletin in a report revealed Pauline Hanson’s party will stand candidates in Gaven and Currumbin. The party says it will make more announcements in the next few weeks.
Polling shows the current party vote has decreased from 15 per cent to 12 per cent.
Respected political analysts predict the minor parties will not improve their vote during COVID-19.
ONE NATION VOTE AT RECORD LEVELS
How energetic One Nation approaches campaigning this time around will be critical to its chances of improving its vote.
(5) Labor unveiled plans for its new $6 million police facility at Pimpama.
Police Minister Mark Ryan produced the new plans for the Pimpama police station at the Cox Road site on Friday morning.
He said construction on the project would begin in the coming months.
FIRST DESIGN OF PIMPAMA POLICE STATION
Offices would be available there for Youth Justice, Queensland Health, education, probation and parole and other agencies.
This is a big political ticket item for Labor given the focus on crime in the north. Even the LNP was surprised by the announcement when it was first made. They welcome it.
The Bulletin during the campaign will continue to update a full list of candidates and promises by parties and independents.
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