Where the bloody hell are you? No opposition on the Gold Coast as ALP bosses avoid city for campaign

THERE are just nine days left until we hit the polls but Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk and deputy Tim Mulherin are yet to visit the Gold Coast.

Sabine van Riel from Main Beach has one question for the Qld ALP leader Annastacia Palaszczuk, "where the bloody hell are you!" Picture Glenn Hampson

LABOR candidates say their party has not given up on the Gold Coast, as the campaign enters its 18th day without a visit from Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk or her deputy Tim Mulherin.

While Federal Party leader Bill Shorten has gone out of his way to get himself in front of Queensland voters, the helping hands from above have not filtered down to local candidates, who have been left to fend for themselves since the election was called.

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Currumbin ALP candidate Ashley Wain said the party had not dismissed Gold Coast seats as unwinnable and claimed thieves were partly to blame for a lack of visible presence in the city.

“We put two signs out on Saturday as a test and they were gone within hours — in broad daylight,” he said.

Sabine van Riel from Main Beach has one question for the Qld ALP leader Annastacia Palaszczuk, "where the bloody hell are you"? Picture Glenn Hampson

“Our candidate in Gaven has also had a lot of signs go missing.

“We’re ready to put (signs) out, they are going out but they’re being removed.”

The party has so far pledged to hire 40 new nurses on the Gold Coast; to create a surfing reserve; to stop the Boral quarry at Burleigh; and to oppose the resort proposal on Wavebreak Island.

However, the party’s promise to repeal the government’s bikie laws has done local candidates no favours with the public.

Broadwater candidate Penny Toland said Ms Palaszczuk and Mr Mulherin had both visited before the election and that she had plenty of help from the party faithful.

“As leader and deputy of our party, I’m happy that they’re touring around to hear everything,” she said.

“With the amount of volunteers that we have, things are going well here.

“It shows that they trust what (candidates) are doing, which is good.”

Mr Wain said Ms Palaszszcuk was doing the best she could with her small team.

“We’re the same as the LNP, we don’t get told (the Leader is coming) until it happens,” he said.

“You’ve got to remember that she has an enormous job to do, with only nine members.

“Don’t count her out of visiting here.”

Ms Palaszszcuk’s office did not return calls on the issue.