Queensland election 2017: Rolling coverage of the campaign
THE Labor Party has issued a call for $10 donations to help it over the line in what it says is a close contest that will be decided by undecided voters in the final days before Saturday’s election.
QLD Election
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QUEENSLAND Labor State Secretary Evan Moorhead has issued a call for $10 donations to help Labor fund its online ads in the lead-up to polling day on Saturday.
In an email sent to supporters today, Mr Moorhead said the polls were “close” with Labor hoping to swing undecided voters in the final days.
“We’ve got until midnight tonight before the advertising blackout hits,” Mr Moorhead’s email states.
“That means no more TV ads and no more radio ads, but we can still advertise online.
“We know that crucial amounts of undecided voters make up their minds in the last days before an election, but so do the other parties.
“We can’t afford to be outspent online in these crucial last days, especially when the polls are so close.
“This election will be decided by the undecided voters that are making their minds up right now.
“Can you chip in $10 towards getting our final message out? It could mean the difference between winning and losing.”
HANSON SAYS REVOKED LAW A ‘PRIORITY’
PAULINE Hanson has used a visit to a rum distillery to say One Nation will scrap Labor’s “nanny state” law on the sale of pre-mixed drinks at Queensland’s pubs and clubs.
Labor last year outlawed the sale of “rapid intoxication drinks” at pubs and clubs after midnight, including shots, drinks with more than 45ml of spirits, and pre-mixed drinks with more than 5 per cent alcohol.
But Senator Hanson said there were enough checks and balances in clubs and pubs and Labor’s law simply prevented adults from making adult decisions.
“Clubs and pub staff all have their RSA’s (Responsible Service of Alcohol) which helps identify problem drinkers,” she said.
“I’m tired of people being prevented from making their own choices in Queensland.
“The Commonwealth Games are coming and these laws are ridiculous,” she said.
Ms Hanson, campaigning in Bundaberg with One Nation candidate Jane Truscott, said people from across the world would expect to be able to buy a spirit after midnight.
“I like a rum”.
If One Nation won the balance of power in the Queensland Parliament this Saturday the party would revoke the laws as a priority, she said.
She said Labor’s approach was death by a thousand cuts for distillers and a whole range of other businesses.
“This nanny state law hurts Queensland distillers like Bundaberg Rum, who’s (sic) pre-mix overproof rum and cola cans cannot be sold after midnight, even though their alcohol content is less than a pint of beer,” she said in a Facebook post.
PAULINE: PREMIER IS CONFUSED OVER MILLER
PAULINE Hanson says Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is confused about Jo-Ann Miller’s photo stunt with the One Nation leader.
Ms Palaszczuk has refused to say whether she will axe the rogue Bundamba MP from the party should she win the election this Saturday.
Both Ms Palaszczuk and Health Minister Cameron Dick dodged questions on Ms Miller during a fiery press conference in Bundaberg on Wednesday morning in an attempt to stay on their “clear choice” message, after a stunt by the maverick MP threatened to derail the Labor campaign.
Ms Miller was yesterday photographed and filmed campaigning alongside the One Nation senator.
“(Annastacia Palaszczuk) is saying it is OK to be nice and next minute she is talking about sacking her,” Ms Hanson said while touring Bundaberg today.
Ms Hanson said the Premier was being “ridiculous” by continuing to refuse to work with One Nation in the event of a hung parliament.
Queenslanders were sick of division amid politicians, she said.
“The way she (the Premier) is carrying on is not leadership.
“If that is what she thinks leadership is she is heading down the wrong path.”
The government has gone to great lengths during the campaign to link Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls with One Nation and its policies.
Ms Palaszczuk said she was yet to speak to Ms Miller about the incident because she was “too busy campaigning”.
“We addressed this yesterday and like I said there is nothing wrong with showing common decency to other people,” she said.
“The real issue here is what is going to happen in three days’ time on Saturday? That is the real fundamental issue, there is a clear choice.”
When pressed on whether Ms Miller would be axed following the election, Ms Palaszczuk could only say that the Bundamba MP was currently a member of her team.
Mr Dick then attempted to link the LNP to One Nation’s domestic violence policy, before having his message interrupted by questions on Ms Miller and whether her appearance with Senator Hanson had undermined his argument against the LNP.
“Absolutely not because people know this morning the choice in domestic violence, the choice in health care, the choice in education,” he said.
Mr Dick also ruled out a run at the Labor Party leadership should they lose the election on Saturday despite previously not ruling it out.
NICHOLLS COY ON PM SUPPORT
OPPOSITION leader Tim Nicholls has shied away from endorsing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as doing a good job, as the Federal Government deals with more fallout from the citizenship crisis.
Asked if the PM was doing a good job, Mr Nicholls said he faced difficult circumstances.
“In difficult circumstances he is trying to come to a landing with an obstructionist senate and obdurate Opposition and in difficult circumstances,” he said.
He said he would leave talk about Canberra chaos to commentators and said voters would be more concerned about Labor chaos.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk is unable to exercise authority over a rogue former police minister (Jo-Ann Miller) who is touting a deal between Labor and One Nation,” Mr Nicholls said.
“The deals and evidence is all pointing towards Labor and One Nation cosying up.”
Labor has focused on pressuring the LNP over its refusal to rule out working with One Nation if it needed the votes in a minority government.
But its attack was blunted when Ms Miller was on Tuesday photographed with One Nation founder Pauline Hanson, giving her gifts for her newborn grandchild.
DEBATE OVER USE OF ADANI RAIL LINE
ALLOWING Adani to build a rail line from its mine to the port will not lock other miners out of the Galilee Basin, Opposition leader Tim Nicholls said this morning.
He also ramped up his attacks on One Nation, describing its policies as “lunacy” and targeting their policy costings.
The $16 billion mine was again a hot topic, as Mr Nicholls, One Nation leader Steve Dickson and KAP leader Robbie Katter took part in the Townsville leaders’ debate.
At the Sky News leaders’ debate held in Brisbane last week, almost no hands were raised when the audience of 100 undecided voters were asked if they supported the Adani mine proceeding.
In stark contrast, almost every hand was raised when the same question was asked at the event organised by Townsville Enterprises and the Townsville Bulletin.
Both Mr Katter and Mr Dickson said they supported the mine, but opposed a proposed $1 billion Federal Government loan being used to help pay for the rail line which will link the Galilee Basin with Point Abbot Port.
“It will lock other users out allowing one use to own the line, and we desperately need the Carmichael mine,” Mr Katter said.
Mr Dickson said the mine had already been approved, but he wanted the rail line built by Queenslanders.
“We want Queenslanders and Australians to own that line and not an overseas multinational,” he said.
Mr Nicholls said the rail line would be a regulated asset controlled by the Queensland Competition Authority, so Adani would be required to work with other mine operators as they open up.
“We have been steadfast, unwavering and rock solid in supporting Carmichael and the rail line because of the 10,000 jobs that it brings to regional Queensland,” he said.
“Part of the deal is it must be available to other mines as they come on board and it must be made available to other users of the rail line as it comes on board.
“This idea that it can’t be used by anyone else or won’t be used by anyone else is a complete furphy.”
But he would not give a position on One Nation’s demand that the Adani rail loan be vetoed as a condition of its support for any minority government, saying it was hypothetical.
During the debate and at the following press conference he ramped up his attacks on One Nation, having steered clear of strong criticism for much of the campaign.
Asked about his own costings, he said voters should be concerned about One Nation’s $18 billion of promises.
“They seem to say they can get all the money from Cross River Rail, but all the money for Cross River Rail isn’t in the budget, it’s only $2.5 billion,” he said.
He said One Nation was promising “$1.5 billion on the Sunshine Coast to sandbag Steve Dickson”.
Mr Nicholls said the LNP had been united, while One Nation and Labor had divisions.
“We don’t have any Jo-Ann Miller’s giving Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts hugs and kisses and handing booties to them,” he said.
“We don’t have a team of candidates who have been dropping out since the beginning of the year. I think they’ve lost eight, One Nation has lost eight.”
‘WE’LL WORK WITH ANYONE, EVEN JO-ANN MILLER’
ONE Nation state leader Steve Dickson says he backs “every single one” of his candidates, while taking a cheeky swipe at Labor over its MP Jo-Ann Miller’s latest ambush on her own party.
ANALYSIS: Calculating, cunning and designed to inflict pain — When Miller met Hanson
Speaking at the Townsville leaders’ debate this morning, Mr Dickson said One Nation could work with any party in government including Labor.
“We will work with every party, we saw that with Jo-Ann Miller yesterday,” he said.
It followed Ms Miller meeting with One Nation founder Pauline Hanson yesterday, giving her gifts for her new grandchild, in defiance of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s ruling of no deals with the party.
But following former One Nation Senator Fraser Anning departing the party in disputed circumstances after just one hour, Mr Dickson was asked whether any One Nation candidates elected would defect. The 11 One Nation MPs elected in 1998 all quit or left the party.
“Relating to 1998, that was last century,” Mr Dickson said.
“We have actually vetted a lot of these candidates.
“I will back every single one of them.”
ADANI PROTESTERS AMBUSH LEADERS DEBATE
FOUR anti-Adani protesters stormed the stage in a surprise ambush at a leaders debate in Townsville this morning.
The protesters were hiding underneath a platform at the back of the room and burst out as Opposition leader Tim Nicholls began to speak.
Security attempted to hold one back, but all four made it on stage where Mr Nicholls, KAP leader Robbie Katter and One Nation state leader Steve Dickson were.
The protesters held signs and shouted slogans until the were escorted from the room.
“There are no jobs on a dead planet. There’s 70,000 jobs on the reef,” one protester said.
They did not seem to have support from the room with one audience member calling out “go and have a shower mate” to one dreadlocked protester.
“I don’t think they’re local,” said Townsville Bulletin editor Jenna Cairney, who was hosting the event.
Mr Nicholls said: “All I can say is how rude. How rude can you be”.
Earlier he brought his own unexpected guest on the stage.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk did not attend the leader’s debate, but Mr Nicholls brought a cardboard cutout of the Premier to the stage.
Originally published as Queensland election 2017: Rolling coverage of the campaign
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