Queensland election 2017: Rolling coverage of day 15 of campaign
OPPOSITION Leader Tim Nicholls gets in some practice for the election day sausage sizzle as he reveals all the LNP’s outstanding donations have been declared.
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OVER $100,000 in donations to the LNP that had not been disclosed to the Electoral Commission have now been revealed, party leader Tim Nicholls says.
Speaking in the new seat of Bonney — which is expected to go down to the wire at the November 25 election — Mr Nicholls said today his party has revealed the source of the donations to the Electoral Commission Queensland.
The total figure was composed of dozens of small amounts that had been difficult to identify.
As the donations were made to the Queensland branch of the LNP for last year’s federal election, there was conjecture as to whether the party would have to disclose them under Queensland’s new disclosure rules.
The LNP will still contest a Supreme Court matter on November 22 that is set to create a precedent for federal money donated to a state party.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk lowered the threshold from $12,400 to $1000 as one of her first acts as premier.
Mr Nicholls said the LNP has complied with all of its ECQ obligations, despite its hesitation to disclose the money.
“They (ECQ) have issued a letter showing that what Labor has been talking about has been more of the ‘fear, smear and no idea’,” Mr Nicholls said.
“We’ve satisfied all of the requirements of the Electoral Commission Queensland and we will continue to.”
GETTING ELDERLY ON THE BUSES
SENIORS will receive free public transport in off-peak times and half-price driver’s licenses, should the LNP win government.
Speaking on the Gold Coast this afternoon during his fourth visit to the area this election campaign, Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls pledged the $114 million commitment over three years.
Mr Nicholls said seniors could expect to save around $720 a year on travel as a result of the cuts.
“Not only is this good for seniors because it helps them save money, but it’s also good policy because it encourages people to use more public transport in times when it is not used as much as peak times,” he said.
Mr Nicholls said the figure of $720 a year had been modeled on someone who travels eight to ten times a week, through two zones on public transport.
The LNP’s commitment to half the cost of renewing seniors driving license would bring Queensland into line with other states.
“A half priced license for seniors will mean a saving of up to $80 on a five year Licence and around about $33 for a one year Licence.
Mr Nicholls said the cost cutting comes on top of his already announced policies such as a car registration freeze and energy policy.
PREMIER DOGGED BY DONOR REVELATIONS
CONSULTANCY giant PricewaterhouseCoopers donated over $2000 to the Labor Party on the same day Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed a conflict of interest involving her partner’s work with the firm.
Donation declarations on the Electoral Commission Queensland’s website show PwC donated $2058 to the party on November 3.
That afternoon Ms Palaszczuk announced she was going to veto Adani’s application for taxpayer funds through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund to build a railway line from its mine to Abbot Point, amid revelations her partner Shaun Drabsch had worked on the application in his role with PWC.
Ms Palaszczuk this morning said she would speak to Queensland Labor state secretary Evan Moorhead about the donation, but would not say whether she was happy for the party to have accepted the cash.
“I will talk to the party secretary about it,” she said.
“I think that they probably donate to both parties.
“That’s the first I have heard about it. But I will say one thing, it’s disclosed.”
Ms Palaszczuk would not say if she ever planned to speak personally with Adani about her veto plans should she retain Government on November 25.
“My office has already spoken to them,” she said.
“They spoke with them on that day. They speak with companies all the time.”
. @AnnastaciaMP and @MarkBaileyMP visit Clare solar farm in the Burdekin electorate. #qldpol @couriermail #QldVotes2017 #hivissquadgoals pic.twitter.com/Hx7GhoOdNt
— Sarah Vogler (@SarahLVogler) November 12, 2017
BID TO RE-ENERGISE CAMPAIGN
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has returned to the battleground seats of far north Queensland for day 15 of the state election campaign.
With energy expected to be the topic of the day for Labor, Ms Palaszczuk landed in Townsville last night and this morning travelled to the Clare solar farm in the Burdekin electorate to announce an extra $50 million investment in renewables, as part of a total $151 million package.
The $50 million will go towards establishing a solar thermal baseload generator.
About $3.6 million would go towards a program to “decarbonise” remote communities by transitioning them from diesel power to renewables.
Ms Palaszczuk also announced Queensland schools would be fitted with solar panels.
LNP CALLED OUT ON PREFERENCES
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull should force the Queensland LNP to overturn any preference deals with One Nation party in the state election, federal Labor says.
“A prime minister with any authority would be able to stop a preference deal with One Nation,” Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke said.
But he said Mr Turnbull had instead been making concessions to Pauline Hanson’s right-wing party in a “desperate attempt” to cling to power.
The LNP on Friday announced it would reserve the last spot on its cards for the Greens in the upcoming state election, but would also ask voters to put One Nation above Labor in a swath of seats.
Mr Burke said the struggling Federal Coalition Government had introduced legislation that it would not have done previously, including the English language test.
“Malcolm Turnbull has to finally stop hugging One Nation and be willing to say, put One Nation last,” Mr Burke said.
In Queensland, One Nation could hold the balance of power after the November 25 election, with the party polling strongly in a number of seats.
LNP president Gary Spence stressed the party had not entered into preference arrangements with the likes of One Nation.
“We make recommendations, through our how-to-vote cards, but they are recommendations and we trust Queenslanders to vote for change,” he said in a statement.
Premier Annastacia Palaczszuk has refused to preference One Nation.
Originally published as Queensland election 2017: Rolling coverage of day 15 of campaign
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