Queensland election 2017: Premier’s ‘stable govt’ mantra may backfire

IT’S a term Annastacia Palaszczuk is throwing around at any opportunity. Trouble is, voters will see straight through it.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at Proserpine Hospital where she announced, if re-elected her Government will recruit 3000 additional nurses and 100 midwives. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk has spent the first two days on the campaign trail throwing the term “stable government” around at every opportunity.

Be it in stump speeches, press conferences or the tsunami of advertising propaganda on its way, Queenslanders can expect to hear this idiom ad nauseam over the remaining 26 days of the 2017 campaign.

However, it’s a strategy that risks as much as it might gain.

The prospect of a Tim Nicholls-led minority government, propped up by whatever odds and sods warm State Parliament’s cheap seats, is a central pillar of Labor’s campaign.

It’ll be chaos, is the claim. And Queensland can’t afford chaos.

Voters aren’t mugs, though.

They’ll quickly draw the link between the hung parliament that Palaszczuk is warning about and the hung parliament that the state just had.

With Member for Cook Billy Gordon forced out by Labor just six weeks into the term over an undisclosed criminal history and Member for Cairns Rob Pyne quitting after he clashed with Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, Palaszczuk’s minority rule has been anything but smooth sailing.

There were also four ministerial resignations caused by an array of circumstances while Member for Pumicestone “Slick” Rick Williams was given his marching orders right at the end.

Throw in the Premier’s deal to gain government with Independent Peter Wellington when she categorically declared “no deals” before the last election, and Palaszczuk’s rhetoric starts to look rather rubbery.

The other complicating dynamic is that Labor is attempting to denounce One Nation while coddling up to its supporters.

The strategy has strong potential in urban areas throughout southeast Queensland.

However, Pauline Hanson’s party has few votes in these areas and there aren’t many electorates in play.

In regional areas, it is the opposite and that’s where this election will be won and lost.

It’s like warning people not to swim in the swamp when they’re convinced all that Palaszczuk, and every other politician, do every day is paddle around in it.

Originally published as Queensland election 2017: Premier’s ‘stable govt’ mantra may backfire