QLD Election 2020: Currumbin candidates debate light rail, border as MP Laura Gerber reveals LNP border stance
LNP leader Deb Frecklington has today repeated Currumbin MP Laura Gerber’s revelation the LNP would not go against the Chief Health Officer’s advice to open the borders. WATCH THE CURRUMBIN DEBATE REPLAY
QLD Votes
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LNP LEADER Deb Frecklington has dodged questions about when the Queensland border would reopen after a Gold Coast MP revealed the party would not go against health advice.
Currumbin MP Laura Gerber announced during a Bulletin debate on Wednesday night the LNP would follow the Chief Health Officer’s advice on reopening the borders.
Speaking on the Gold Coast on Thursday the Opposition leader was repeatedly asked about what day she would reopen the border.
“What I have said is that the borders should not be closed for a day longer than they have to be,” she said.
“The health advice changes on a daily basis.
“My position is very crystal clear, I will follow the health advice, I will show compassion, I’ll show consistency and I’ll show common sense.”
It follows Ms Gerber’s revelation the party would keep the border closed for safety reasons if necessary, after Ms Frecklington “demanded” they be reopened against the CHO’s advice.
“I can categorically tell you we will absolutely follow the health advice, but what is really important in that occasion is we will not politicise our borders,” Ms Gerber said.
“If the health advice says it’s safe to open our borders, we will do that.”
Currumbin is one of the Gold Coast’s most marginal seats, with Ms Gerber holding at a 3.3 per cent margin after the March by-election.
The Queensland election will be held on October 31.
EARLIER:
CURRUMBIN MP Laura Gerber has revealed the LNP would not go against the advice of the Chief Health Officer and, if necessary, keep the border closed for safety reasons.
Ms Gerber was responding to questions at a Bulletin forum about her leader, Deb Frecklington, who earlier this year had “demanded” the borders be reopened against the advice of the CHO.
“I can categorically tell you we will absolutely follow the health advice, but what is really important in that occasion is we will not politicise our borders,” she said.
In the latest of the Bulletin’s forums in the lead-up to the October 31 State election, Ms Gerber was asked to clarify the Opposition’s position on the border, after Ms Frecklington asked for the borders to be opened up on 64 times.
Ms Gerber said she would support ending the Queensland border closure if it aligned with medical advice.
“If the health advice says it’s safe to open our borders, we will do that,” she said.
“We will not treat our borders as a political device in a re-election campaign.
“We will show some compassion on our borders, we will let ordinary Queenslanders have the same rights and same opportunities that has been given to AFL footballers.”
WATCH THE REPLAY: BURLEIGH CANDIDATES DEBATE
Currumbin is one of the Gold Coast’s most marginal seats, with Ms Gerber holding the seat with a 3.3 per cent margin after the March by-election.
Labor candidate Kaylee Campradt who ran in March, along with The Greens’ Peter Burgoyne and One Nation’s Glen Wadsworth also attended the debate.
Ms Campradt was asked about preferences from Dr Richard Stuckey, husband of Jann Stuckey, and whether “the ghost of the former MP” would get her across the line.
“There was a very low turnout in the by-election in March. I hoping this time that I get across the line because people see I’m the right candidate for Currumbin,” she said.
“Richard is supporting me because Richard and I support voluntary assisted dying and palliative care, and we have aligned on this issue. We’ve got to see this legislation in Parliament.”
Dr Stuckey, who declined to attend the debate, may prove to be the deciding factor in the seat, which largely came down to preferences in March.
Greens candidate Peter Burgoyne agreed the party’s preferences would help Labor and he expected a stronger performance than the 11 per cent vote last time around.
“I don’t have a precise figure. There are more candidates standing now. We have run a stronger campaign,’” he said.
WATCH THE REPLAY: BONNEY CANDIDATES DEBATE
“I don’t want to give an exact figure but maybe 15 per cent on this occasion. We are there for the future. It is quite likely the Greens will hold the balance of power in a future government.”
One Nation candidate Glen Wadsworth is the owner of a construction company which worked on Broadbeach’s Jewel towers and upgrades to Robina Town Centre.
Asked to weigh in on high rise towers along the light rail route, he said: “I think inevitably people like to live near efficient transport.
“As the member for Currumbin I would listen to what people say. I’d actually like to get a fair dinkum poll of the two electorates most affected, Burleigh and Currumbin, of what all those residents want.”
The United Australia Party did not respond to repeated requests for Currumbin candidate Anna Palmer to attend.
Independent candidates Tracy Takacs-Thorne and Ian Logan were unable to attend due to constraints on numbers.
The forum is the latest in a series of five the Bulletin is conducting. Debates for Coomera and Gaven are planned for later this week.
A recap of the Bonney debate and the Burleigh debate can be found on our website.
News Corp is conducting forums in seats across the state.
LIVE STREAMS STILL TO COME AT GOLDCOASTBULLETIN.COM.AU
THURSDAY, 7.30: COOMERA CANDIDATES DEBATE
FRIDAY, NOON: GAVEN CANDIDATES DEBATE
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