Qld election 2020: Premier won’t rule out Greens alliance

It’s an election commitment Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has reiterated throughout the campaign – but she refuses to put it in writing.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to sign a commitment not to govern with the Greens, amid concerns within Labor that it will struggle to win a majority of seats at Saturday’s state election.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Ms Palaszczuk has declined to provide Queensland’s miners with a written pledge she won’t do a deal with the Greens to form government or raise royalties for the next decade.

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The Premier’s refusal to provide a guarantee sets up an 11th-hour flashpoint on one of the campaign’s key issues, and comes as Labor urgently attempts to sandbag regional electorates at risk of falling to the LNP.

Ms Palaszczuk and LNP leader Deb Frecklington will square off today in the Queensland Media Club’s final debate of the campaign, before the pair jet to regional areas for a last-ditch attempt to win over voters.

The Queensland Resources Council wrote to both leaders on the first day of the campaign, seeking their commitment not to govern with the Greens, a 10-year royalty freeze, the approval of New Acland mine and no new or increased taxes.

Ms Frecklington provided a written pledge the next day however Labor has refused to make the same commitment despite weeks of behind-the-scenes lobbying.

“We haven’t got a document from Labor on the Greens, we haven’t got a document on royalties and we haven’t got a document on New Acland,” QRC boss Ian Macfarlane said.

“We are obviously really nervous about a coalition with the Greens because the Greens want to shut down our industry.

“I have left phone messages for the Treasurer (Cameron Dick), I have sent him texts but I am guessing he’s not interested.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk feeds a rainbow lorikeet during a visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast yesterday. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

Ms Frecklington said Ms Palaszczuk would have signed the QRC agreement if she was really committed to not doing deals.

“What is Annastacia Palaszczuk hiding if she is failing to provide a written guarantee?” she said.

Retiring Resources Minister Anthony Lynham denied Labor was leaving the door open to doing a deal with the Greens.

“There will be no deals with the Greens,” he said.

“This has been ruled out multiple times, and again as recently as The Courier-Mail People’s Forum (on Wednesday).”

Dr Lynham said the Government already had a signed agreement with the QRC not to raise royalties for three years.

However Mr Macfarlane said he had offered a compromise of a five-year freeze so royalties would not be raised next term but Labor had refused.

The Greens have promised their proposed $55 billion slug on the resources would be central to any agreement to form government with Labor.

The party is hopeful about its prospects in the inner-city electorates of South Brisbane, McConnel and Cooper after claiming Maiwar in 2017.

Originally published as Qld election 2020: Premier won’t rule out Greens alliance