Cameron Dick meets cardboard cut-out of rival Jarrod Bleijie

Deputy Premier Cameron Dick has finally met his rival ahead of Thursday’s debate.

After Jarrod Bliejie repeatedly declined The Courier-Mail’s request for a debate against Deputy Premier Cameron Dick, a cardboard cut-out of Mr Bleijie was taken to meet his rival on Monday.

Last week Mr Bleijie told The Courier-Mail he would not attend the debate and that “the cutout of me will still make more sense that the real Cameron Dick” in the room.

As Bleijie continues to dodge the invitation, The Courier-Mail took the cardboard cut-out to a pre-polling centre in Kurwongbah to go toe-toe with Mr Dick.

“Well look who has turned up, a little bit out of Kawana, a little bit out of his electorate but Jarrod Bleijie has turned up and have a look at him. This is a lot like the LNP campaign, all front,” Mr Dick said.

Cameron Dick with a cardboard cutout of Jarrod Bleijie. Picture, John Gass

As he held Bleijie under his arm Mr Dick was asked what he thought of the stand-in and said the cutout had more “substance than the real Jarrod”.

“That is what we see from the LNP, it’s like their commitments, they tell you about their commitments but when you look behind they are really hollow,” he said.

Mr Dick has welcomed the opportunity to debate the deputy opposition leader but said Mr Bleijie is “to afraid to put their case in that debate to Queenslanders.”

“If he was to debate me he would have to explain his costings and how he is going to pay for them,” Mr Dick said.

Cameron Dick with a cardboard cutout of Jarrod Bleijie. October 21, 2024. Picture, John Gass

“I will be there on Thursday if you want to turn up and debate me, but remember Jarrod if you got something to say, say it to my face.”

The cut-out’s visit to meet Mr Dick comes after voters in Jarrod Bleijie’s Sunshine Coast electorate had split views on their local member when the cut-out visited pre-polling locations on Wednesday.

Terise Wright said she didn’t know much about Mr Bleijie but believed he should attend the debate.

“That makes me wonder, I think he should be upfront and speak at any of these things,” she said.

“That would make me question why he’s not going.”

Originally published as Cameron Dick meets cardboard cut-out of rival Jarrod Bleijie