Labor defends mining royalties letterbox scare campaign

Labor has defended its second letterbox scare campaign in two weeks, this time flyers claiming the LNP will give $10bn a year to multinational miners.

Labor is claiming the LNP will give $10bn a year to multinational miners in a second letterbox scare campaign in two weeks.

Labor has defended its second letterbox scare campaign in two weeks, this time flyers claiming the LNP will give $10bn a year to multinational miners.

As recently as October 6 Mr Crisafulli reiterated his promise to keep the existing royalties regime “in his first term’’ and quarantine a portion for the regions.

The flyer, endorsed by Labor state secretary Kate Flanders, read:

“David Crisafulli wants to give more than $10bn a year to multinational mining companies.

“This means MASSIVE CUTS for Queensland.

“Cuts to our hospitals, schools, roads and major projects.

“Cuts to our cost of living relief, including energy rebates.

“Cuts to our health workers and police.

“Cuts to renewable energy projects, driving up your power bills.’’

The letterboxed flyer endorsed by the ALP.

LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie described it as “another day and another scare campaign from a desperate Labor Premier who will do and say anything to hold onto power’’.

“He knows there will be no change under the LNP, it has been repeatedly ruled out,’’ he said.

“A quick factcheck on Labor’s lies will show it is nothing more than an attempt to dupe Queenslanders into another four years of Labor.’’

Mr Crisafulli also said recently that despite the scare campaign he was on record committing to maintaining the royalties.

“We voted in the parliament several times on it,” he said.

“We are quarantining at least half (of royalty revenue), at least $1 billion for the regions, and that’s important, and it has to be.’’

But Ms Flanders said he could not be trusted on “any promise he makes’’.

“David Crisafulli changed his position on Treaty, he’s leaving the door open to repeal abortion laws, and he will do the same with progressive coal royalties,’’ she said.

“David Crisafulli says he won’t make changes to Labor’s progressive coal royalties.

“But when he was asked about royalties in front of the coal lobby, he told them that when the LNP released their tax and royalties’ policy they could ‘take it to the bank’.’’

The flyer comes less than two weeks after United Workers Union boss Gary Bullock endorsed flyers in 10 electorates suggesting the LNP would privatise local hospitals, including in Logan and Bundaberg.

But Ms Flanders said Mr Crisafulli had pushed his own scare campaign on a “make believe patient tax’’.

“There has never been, nor was there ever going to be, a ‘patient tax’ on Queenslanders and that was made clear in last year’s state budget,’’ she said.

Labor claimed the LNP had held about 43 meetings with coal industry groups in the six months to August this year alone.

They also pointed to third party campaigns backing the LNP which were funded by mining interests including One Key Resources, Jobs for Mining Communities and Australians for Prosperity.

Originally published as Labor defends mining royalties letterbox scare campaign