Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce Meet The Candidates breakfast: COVID and economy centre stage

A senior LNP Gold Coast MP has been put on a political collision course with the city’s only sitting Labor member after accusing the state government of “flying blind” over the COVID-19 crisis.

A SENIOR LNP Gold Coast MP has accused the Labor Party of “flying blind” on economic recovery at the first meeting of the city’s election candidates on Thursday morning.

The remarks by leading LNP campaigner Ros Bates has put her on a political collision course with Labor Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon.

COVID-19 recovery was put centre stage at a Meet The Candidates breakfast hosted by the Central Chamber of Commerce, with a total of 23 candidates in attendance.

Almost every sitting MP – bar Broadwater’s David Crisafulli and Surfers Paradise’s John-Paul Langbroek – and almost 100 members of the city business community were present.

Despite a diverse array of candidates, including several surprise new runners, the issue of Glitter Strip policing and the city’s climb back from the coronavirus crisis remained hot topics.

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Candidates for the seat of Currumbin at The Central Chamber of Commerce's Meet The Candidates Breakfast.

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Asked to speak on behalf of the Queensland LNP, Ms Bates accused the Labor Party of having no plan for economic stimulus.

“Labor and the government of Queensland is flying blind in our biggest economic crisis,” she said.

“Make no mistake, Queensland was in trouble well before COVID-19.

“The only plan that Annastacia Palaszczuk currently has is to keep the borders closed until Christmas.”

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However asked to clarify the LNP position on the border, Ms Bates said they would “always work on the health advice”.

The only sitting Labor MP on the Coast, Meaghan Scanlon hit back at Ms Bates’ accusation, listing a number of ALP projects she said had helped during a “difficult time”.

LNP Shadow health minister Ros Bates. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

“1100 Gold Coast businesses have received $250,000 totalling $14 million, (and that’s) just on the Gold Coast alone,” she said.

“We’ve also provided businesses on the Gold Coast with grants of up to $10,000.

“We provide $500 electricity rebates to businesses just so they can keep the lights on.

“We have the runs on the board and at the end of the day this election will be about who you trust, who has delivered for this city and who hasn’t.”

Other candidates stepped away from COVID fears in favour of other issues, with Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens saying: “This election is not just about coronavirus.”

Meaghan Scanlon. Photo Scott Powick Newscorp

Bonney MP Sam O’Connor, whose passionate use of the word “grubs” regarding youth crime previously earned him a reprimand in parliament, first raised the issue of crime citywide.

“I’ve got people in Parkwood, Arundel, doing patrols of their suburbs at night to keep themselves safe,” he said.

“We’ve got people installing CCTV cameras and they’re just at their wits end.

“We really need a focus on police resourcing and the right laws behind it.”

Burleigh MP Michael Hart and controversial candidate Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew, who was a late ALP preselection for the seat, came face-to-face for the first time at the breakfast.

Mr Hart said he believed the election would come down to “which party has the best outcome for the future and the biggest plans”.

“By far the biggest issue is going to be how we recover from COVID,” he said.

“Although the government has given out a small amount of grants and relief in payroll tax, any other help they provided is in the form of loans.”

Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew was a late pick by the ALP. Scott Powick Newscorp

Mr Bartholomew named a number of businesses he had visited with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk when she announced him as the Burleigh candidate.

“There’s 1600 businesses across the Coast that were recipients of the (small business loan) and it’s been a huge relief just to get them back on their feet,” he said.

There are now just over 60 days left until the October 31 Queensland election.