Qld election Toowoomba: Latest from first full week of campaigning in Toowoomba North, South, Condamine
No Toowoomba media were contacted for one of the government’s top ministers’ visits to Toowoomba. Here’s the latest from the Queensland election campaign trail:
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Welcome to week one of The Chronicle’s coverage of the 2024 Queensland state election.
Four electorates across the Darling Downs and Lockyer will be up for grabs when residents head to the polls on October 26, with the LNP heavily favoured to reclaim all at this point.
No-show at D’Ath’s hospital visit
A bizarre communications mishap has resulted in no one turning up to former health minister Yvette D’Ath’s visit to the new Toowoomba Hospital site on Monday.
The retiring Attorney-General was the first current member of the government to visit Toowoomba since the election campaign kicked off last week.
It’s a shame then that no local media showed up, with this masthead missing the invite.
Her visit to the construction site of the new $1.3bn Baillie Henderson campus was reportedly not advertised to news sites, with no media showing up to ask questions and give Ms D’Ath a chance to talk up the government’s selling point to Toowoomba voters in the new hospital.
A spokesman for Ms D’Ath said information on her visit was passed onto the team handling ministerial alerts, but The Chronicle did not receive a single email, phone call or text.
A single email was sent out from the Labor campaign’s central office.
It is believed Ms D’Ath, who was health minister from 2020 until last year, might return later in the campaign.
Toowoomba South Labor candidate Susan Krause also attended.
Labor candidate juggles campaign and wedding planning
Life has been busy for Labor’s candidate for Toowoomba North James Green, who was preparing to campaign at the state election at the same time he was getting married.
The Toowoomba-raised “jack-of-all-trades” with backgrounds in labour, trade, farming and education revealed this week had held his wedding on the weekend, something that had been in works for a long time.
Mr Green said he couldn’t attend a visit with Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath as he was taking a couple of days off campaigning to honeymoon with his family.
He said he and his group of volunteers would be hitting the campaign trail hard when pre-polling started next week.
Speaking last week, Mr Green said his campaign would focus on cost-of-living and community safety, arguing in favour of measures beyond the energy rebates that the current government delivered in the most recent budget.
When asked why he chose to run, Mr Green said his two daughters played a big role in his decision.
“I’m normally a private person — I’m guided by my heart, and my mind navigates that,” he said.
“I sat down with my daughter (when I was thinking about it) and she said, ‘I love you and I’m proud of you’, and that’s all I needed to get the courage.”
Ballots to be confirmed with draw
The Toowoomba North and South seats will hold their ballot draws on Tuesday, with as many as many as nine candidates in the running.
The draw will be held at the returning officer’s headquarters in Newtown at 2.30pm.
For Toowoomba North, sitting MP Trevor Watts (LNP) will face off against Labor’s James Green, Greens candidate Thom Roker, One Nation’s Sebastian Lund and Family First’s Kerri Hislop.
In Toowoomba South, shadow treasurer David Janetzki will have to defend his seat against Labor candidate Susan Krause, the Greens’ Wren Beith and Family First’s Alex Todd.
For a full look at the current candidates in the race, head to our election guide.
Toowoomba MPs hit campaign trail
Shadow treasurer David Janetzki and Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts have been out in force on Tuesday in a bid to become part of the first LNP government win since 2012.
Mr Janetzki was in Townsville today to help the opposition try to secure key seats in northern Queensland.
Meanwhile, Mr Watts was spotted in Highfields this morning doing roadside campaigning with volunteers.
It comes a week after both men announced new statewide crime prevention grants for small businesses as an election pledge, which would be open to Toowoomba locals.
The LNP has yet to make any Toowoomba-specific election promises.
Qld election: Who is running in Toowoomba seats in 2024
The 2024 state election campaign is just a few days old but Toowoomba and Darling Downs voters already have more than 15 candidates to choose from across four seats. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HERE:
‘Arrogant’ leaders slammed over Toowoomba election campaign snub
Residents have slammed the major parties’ leaders after it was revealed they were unlikely to campaign here, with many saying Toowoomba’s status as a safe conservative city was hurting it politically.
LNP pledges to fund youth services with record of success
Community organisations that can show that 90 per cent of their program’s graduates have kept out of trouble for a year will be in line for long-term funding, if the LNP wins government later this month.
Qld election: No city visits from leaders confirmed as campaign kicks off
Premier Steven Miles and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli have yet to reveal if, or when, they plan to campaign in Toowoomba, as fears grow about the city securing vital government funding.
Have your say: Survey to reveal key issues for Toowoomba voters
The Queensland election campaign has begun, and we want to hear from residents about the local and state issues that are important to you. OUR FREE SURVEY HERE:
Labor contender for Toowoomba North announced
The LNP’s safeguarded Toowoomba North electorate of more than a decade could see a Labor shake-up with the announcement of a new contender. Meet the Labor candidate for Toowoomba North here.