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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Bridie Jabour

Queensland election: Newman ditches regional campaign as Labor releases costings – as it happened

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman arrives back from Cairns in Brisbane on Thursday.
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman arrives back from Cairns in Brisbane on Thursday. Photograph: JOHN PRYKE/AAPIMAGE

Day 24 on the Queensland election campaign

We are collectively power walking or limping towards the finish line that will be the election on Saturday, depending on where you’ve been standing during this campaign. I’ve just had a coffee so I should be able to walk you through the summary of this frantic day.

  • It began with a poll showing Labor’s Kate Jones is eight percentage points ahead of Campbell Newman in the latest Seven News/ReachTEL poll of Ashgrove.
  • Presumambly starting the day feeling good after that result, Annastacia Palaszczuk had an embarrassing stumble when she was asked what the GST rate is and answered “pass”. (It’s 10%). She later said she had not had her coffee.
  • Newman, who had planned to spend the day campaigning in regional seats decided to ditch the blitz and fly back to Brisbane, citing the imminent release of Labor costings. There was speculation the decision was made so he could campaign hard in Ashgrove in the last days.
  • Labor released its law and order policy, revealing the controversial bikie laws would stay in place some time after a Labor election while they were reviewed. Labor would also establish a commission of inquiry into organised crime.
  • Labor also released its costings saying it can find $1.7bn in savings over the next four years through public service efficiencies and “reprioritisation”. The single biggest category is in reviewing spending on consultancies, contractors and advertising - like for the LNP’s “Strong Choices” assets privatisation program and the Queensland Health surgery “wait time guarantee”. It claims a “whole of government efficiency program” could save it $336mn.

Tomorrow we have a leaders’ debate to look forward to and a likely Newman dash to Ashgrove. Until then, sleep well and we can greet each other brightly and enthusiastically in the morning.

We have found out where Campbell Newman went after touching down in Brisbane. He is with Tim Nicholls, taking a good long hard look at his Ashgrove re-election chances , Labor costings.

Another poll putting Labor and LNP in a dead heat, literally.

The latest Essential Media poll has the LNP on 38% of the primary vote, Labor on 37% and Greens on 10%. Palmer United Party is on 5%, the Australian reports.

Once preferences are distributed it is exactly a 50-50 split.

First Dog on the Moon is in the Sunshine State! Three cheers! He has filed his first dispatch from the campaign. It is here.

Some photos from Campbell Newman’s short lived campaigning in the regions today. After campaigning in Cairns he flew back to Brisbane following bad polling for him in Ashgrove and Annastacia Palaszczuk stumbling in a radio interview, unable to say the GST rate.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman speaks at a news conference in Cairns.
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman speaks at a news conference in Cairns. Photograph: JOHN PRYKE/AAPIMAGE
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman boards a plane at Cairns International Airport during his campaign for re-election on Thursday.
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman boards a plane at Cairns International Airport. Photograph: JOHN PRYKE/AAPIMAGE

The Treasuer’s Department has handed out a list to journalists with how many committees Labor has said it would set up titled “ALP Bureaucracy Watch”. The inference being there is no plan, just plans for a plan.

Labor release costings

Labor have released their costings, my colleague Joshua Robertson, gives the first take:

Labor says it can find $1.7bn in savings over the next four years through public service efficiencies and “reprioritisation”.

The single biggest category is in reviewing spending on consultancies, contractors and advertising - like for the LNP’s “Strong Choices” assets privatisation program and the Queensland Health surgery “wait time guarantee”.

It claims a “whole of government efficiency program” could save it $336mn.

Shadow treasurer, Curtis Pitt, says an independent accountancy firm Moore Stephens agreed this was based on “reasonable assumptions” and was “not about job cuts”.

Labor would also net $255mn a year by deferring an increase in the payroll tax threshold for business promised by the LNP.

Here are some of Pitt’s answers from the press conference:

Labor will listen to treasury forecasts, we will hope to achieve that, or do better...we’re not going to do for political reasons a job target, because Campbell Newman has not delivered on his.

You’ve had three years in oppopsition, why not prepare a plan for infrastructure?

I think the question is why hasn’t the government produced an infrastructure plan for Queensland after three years in office?

Pitt attacks LNP for only promising some projects if an LNP MP is elected in that electorate. He says Labor will not do that.

Are you ready to govern? A lot of your policies have been reviews, a plan for a plan.

We are being upfront with Queenslanders, our commitments are modest but deliberately so. We would be a government, perhaps not the most controversial or exciting government in the world but a good government.

Campbell Newman has split from the press pack. Journalists are being bussed into the city but Newman is not with them and has gone his own way. It’s not clear what he will be doing this afternoon, if he will be campaigning with media in tow, holding a press conference, campaigning quietly in Ashgrove or even debriefing in his office.

It has not been standard in this campaign for the leader to travel in the bus with journalists when in Brisbane, both Newman and Annastacia Palaszczuk take separate cars to the media bus when doing local events.

Shadow treasurer Curtis Pitt says Labor will not have an unemployment rate target.

Labor will listen to treasury forecasts, we will hope to achieve that, or do better...we’re not going to do for political reasons a job target, because Campbell Newman has not delivered on his.

You’ve had three years in oppopsition, why not prepare a plan for infrastructure?

I think the question is why hasn’t the government produced an infrastructure plan for Queensland after three years in office?

Pitt attacks LNP for only promising some projects if an LNP MP is elected in that electorate. He says Labor will not do that.

Are you ready to govern? A lot of your policies have been reviews, a plan for a plan.

We are being upfront with Queenslanders, our commitments are modest but deliberately so. We would be a government, perhaps not the most controversial or exciting government in the world but a good government.

Labor is releasing its costings with shadow treasurer Curtis Pitt and opposition leader, Annastacia Palaszczuk facing media right now.

Labor claims it is going to save $1.7bn without selling assets but cutting some current LNP policies and reallocating funding.

Labor will get Queensland treasury to do a review of the state’s finances.

Here is a snap look at the costings, my colleague Joshua Robertson is studying them quite forensically and will have more soon.

Campbell Newman has touched down in Brisbane after rushing back from far north Queensland to campaign.

Can Campbell Newman still be premier if he loses the seat of Ashgrove?

Yes!

The Conversation has an in-depth look at how the law handles a premier who has lost his seat.

In the short term, however, it would be possible for a premier to remain in office, without holding a seat, if his or her government held the confidence of the lower house and the premier was seeking election in a by-election.

Have the LNP’s controversial bikie laws stemmed the tide of crime in Queensland? Or are we fixated on rungs too low on the organised crime ladder?

My colleague, Joshua Robertson, has been reporting on bikie culture in Queensland for years and has written this great analysis on the laws and their effectiveness.

I’ve done too much reputational damage to too many to be an apologist for bikies. But at some point under the Newman government, I began to feel complicit in feeding moral panic.

I know there are cops who feel the same. Who think they’re enforcing unnecessarily authoritarian laws and feel like they haven’t seen “real bikies” in months. That they’re at risk of fixating on the lower rungs of organised crime while Mr Bigs in nylon slacks play golf. Who might be relieved they don’t get those calls any more from the government wanting to know which bikies they can put on the TV news.

The defacing of party signs during an election campaign is par for the course - rightly or wrongly. Good to see LNP MP Tarnya Smith taking it in her stride.

LNP quietly releases Great Barrier Reef policy - no "new" money

The Liberal National Party have quietly released their policy on the Great Barrier Reef on their website with no new money appearing to be committed to it.

Campbell Newman has not made any new commitments on the reef during the campaign but according to WWF the LNP released the policy overnight. You can find it here.

The policy:

  • invests $155m over the next four years in “practical reef protection work” with $35m per year for whole-of-government reef initiatives.
  • $17.1 million to boost reef vessel tracking services based in Gladstone and continue the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s e-Reefs project to deliver real time monitoring and modelling of the reef system.
  • Money from the $590m innovation fund will go towards investment in “practical environmental science, research and development” though it is not specified how much of the $590m will go towards that.

WWF has criticised the policy saying there does not appear to be any “new” money in it.

WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman:

The Queensland Government’s current policies, if continued, will accelerate the degradation and eventual loss of the Great Barrier Reef. The lack of Reef policies from the state government in this election has made the Australian Government’s task of avoiding the Reef being placed on the World Heritage Committee’s “in danger” list that much harder.

Updated

The Greens have been campaigning pretty heavily since the Queensland election was called. Today they are colour co-ordinated and attacking the LNP’s plan for new casinos.

Senator Larissa Waters said in a statement:

Queensland already has more casinos than any other state, but Campbell Newman is allowing another three, bringing the total to seven. Casinos and coal mines are not an economic strategy - they are a recipe for more problem gambling and climate change.

Here’s Campbell Newman on the plane bound for Brisbane. The smart money is on a trip to Ashgrove this afternoon. I’d expect to see him there every day for the rest of the week after the poll last night.

According to the betting market it’s more likely than not that Queensland will have a new premier next week.

Corruption fighter, Tony Fitzgerald, has spoken out about the Queensland election campaign saying he fears Queensland is returning to the corruption of the 1980s.

He criticised both the parties for their “cash for access” policies and said there had been a slide in accountability and transparency since the mid 1990s when Nationals premier Rob Borbidge took power. Labor premiers Peter Beattie and Anna Bligh then followed the trend, according to Fitzgerald.

I think it’s terribly important that people take into account not just specific issues – who’s going to get a bridge, who’s going to get a tunnel and so on and so forth – but who’s going to behave properly. I’d like to see it happen this time, but if not this time, the next time, and if not the next time, the time after, so that we finally get to a situation where we’ve got a parliament that’s acting on behalf of the people and not on behalf of their own constituents and supporters and rent seekers and chancers of all sorts who tie themselves on to them – the camp followers, if you like.”

You can read Guardian Australia’s article on it here and watch the interview here.

A fine idea if we are really hunting that “gotcha” moment!

Updated

Labor will not repeal bikie laws immediately

Labor’s commitment to repeal and replace the bikie laws is not going to happen immediately if they are elected, instead they will bring a review of the laws forward by a year.

Annastacia Palaszczuk is in Gladstone to announce Labor’s law and reform police - a commission of inquiry into organised crime and a taskforce to review the controversial bikie laws introduced by the LNP.

The laws banned three or members, or associates, of a bikie gang meeting with each other and also introduced mandatory sentencing laws.

Labor had committed to repealing and replacing the laws but were yet to say exactly what they are going to replace them with - and now we still don’t know.

Palaszczuk announced there will be a taskforce made up of stakeholders including the Law Society, the Bar Association and the police union, which will review the laws under Labor. LNP plan to review the laws next year.

These are tough measures, I make no mistake.

I am prepared to listen to what the law society has to say, the bar association, the police union. Unlike Campbell Newman I’m prepared to listen to the police union.”

Would it be illegal for three or more members or associates of bikie gangs to associate with each other?

We are keeping the existing laws until we listen to the expert evidence. We have identified some key issues that need to be addressed, some are in relation to association and of course I have said we have issues with mandatory sentencing.

How many statistics have you got on innocent people being caught up in the bikie laws?

Let me go back to one fundamental issue, not one conviction under these laws.

We are focussed on organised crime as a whole, not just on outlaw motorcycle gangs.

What happens if the taskforce says these laws do not need to be changed?

They will be changed because we are broadening the scope.

It then goes to Palaszczuk’s gaffe this morning when she did not name the GST rate when asked.

What is the GST?

The GST is 10%,” she replied laughing.

Was not answering a brain fart?

I did three radio interviews, I didn’t have my coffee, these things happen.

On Newman returning to Brisbane, citing Labor costings:

Does he not want to meet people? As premier of the state one of the greatest honours would be out there talking to Queenslanders every single day.

Updated

The Sunshine Coast Daily is noting that Campbell Newman’s change in campaign tack means he will be spending just one morning outside of Brisbane this week.

Guardian Australia can reveal the plane that is taking Campbell Newman and the media contingent back to Brisbane.

It seems certain members of the travelling party are a tad concerned. (I actually think it is a very generous sized plane!)

Updated

More footage from Campbell Newman’s press conference filmed by Fred McConnell.

Here is Newman addressing questions about Ashgrove being promised so much more money than other electorates and his weak polling figures in the electorate.

Campbell Newman press conference

Ah! What a twisted up and frantic day. It seems the Labor party’s costings will be released in Brisbane but Annastacia Palaszczuk herself may not be there. I wonder if like the LNP, there has been a change in campaign strategy in the Labor camp after her embarrassing non-answer to how much the GST is taxed at.

For those wondering how the Liberal National Party went from the biggest election victory in the history of Australia - winning 78 seats in an 89 seat parliament - to looking down the barrel of defeat just three years later, we have the answer.

Well, my colleague Daniel Hurst has written a wonderful analysis on it that will certainly help you come close to understanding how the LNP frittered away the trust in them, you can read it here. Perhaps Tony Abbott would read with interest, and a pen to take some notes.

Analysis/theory on Campbell Newman ditching his north Queensland electorate blitz this morning from the Australian’s Sean Parnell.

Newman abruptly changes campaign tack

Annastacia Palaszczuk is looking like she will release the Labor costings and bikies policy in Townsville, rather than Brisbane, as would usually be expected.

It was rumoured in the Campbell Newman camp that they were heading to Townsville before they abruptly changed tack and decided to fly back to Brisbane, citing the imminent release of Labor costings and bikies policy, which we have known about since yesterday.

Daniel Hurst tells me the LNP are not committing to a press conference after Labor’s release.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Updated

The thrills of the mystery tour. Instead of flying on to another regional destination, the Campbell Newman camp have switched their approach, telling media it is because of the imminent release of Labor’s costings.

Updated

Thanks to my stellar colleague Fred McConnell we have some footage of Campbell Newman answering the question: who will be premier if you lose Ashgrove? (which is a distinct possibility according to the polls)

Who will be premier if you lose Ashgrove?

Hmmmm, doesn’t seem to be a strong plan for the media bus on Campbell Newman’s campaign trail.

Well. After that mad flurry of leaders refusing to say what the rate of GST is, polls and a press conference, we can take a breath and turn to the headlines of the day:

Updated

Newman questioned on losing Ashgrove, Tony Fitzgerald and the GST

Campbell Newman is in Cairns with deputy premier Jeff Seeney announcing a $50m road upgrade from Cairns up the Kuranda Range.

We will get straight to the interesting part, the questions.

If this is a safety issue shouldn’t you be doing this regardless of whether there is an LNP member here if there is an LNP government? (The LNP are saying they will not follow through with their campaigning promises in electorates if it does not elect a local member. But it seems there are exceptions to the rule.)

I’m happy to clarify this. We’ve been talking about local plans vs state plans, this is certainly the latter category. It’s dependent on a strong LNP government.

So this is not dependent on a LNP local member?

No...But if people don’t vote 1 for LNP then we will end up with Annastacia Palaszczuk as premier in a hung parliament in some chaotic, unholy government.

How confident are you that you can hang on to these seats in north and far north Queensland?

That’s a political commentator type question...the choice is crystal clear we are urging people to vote for strength, unity.

If the choice is so crystal clear why is the electorate not listening?

That’s something political commentators might like to reflect on...but we ask people to reflect on the choice, we have very clearly said this is the plan, the plan was developed in Queensland. They are things a growing state needs, new hospitals schools, roads, and we can fund that future.

How are you going to convince voters in Ashgrove?

I’ve got a very strong local plan in Ashgrove...I say to you again, the contest in Ashgrove is the same as the contest elsewhere in the state and it’s crystallising as we move towards Saturday. People can have myself as premier, with a strong team with a strong plan for Queensland...or the choice is Annastacia Palaszczuk and a hung parliament ruled by the Greens and other minor parties. That would be the chaos of Canberra coming to Queensland and I don’t want that.

What is your response to Tony Fitzgerald’s comments on 7.30? (Fitzgerald said Queensland is heading towards corruption of the 1980s)

I have the upmost respect for him in the past but I reject those comment and the real issues of transparency that are starting to haunt this campaign is the lack of transparency with the Labor party refusing to release costings, saying how they are going to fund their promises.

What is the rate of the GST? (This question after Palaszczuk refused to answer the question this morning)

I heard that and people will join their own conclusions. I know full well the rate.

Newman does not actually say the rate though! He goes into a spiel about what terrible economic managers Labor members are instead.

We are on stand-by for a Campbell Newman press conference.

Annastacia refuses to say how much the GST is taxed at

Oh dear.

Annastacia Palaszczuk is spending the morning in Townsville and went on commercial radio station FM97.3. These things are always fraught with danger and Palaszczuk took part in a 10 questions in 60 seconds segment.

The first question: “The Goods and Services Tax is taxed at what percentage?”

Palaszczuk’s answer: “Pass.”

You can almost feel the temperature drop in north Queensland as her advisor’s blood ran cold.

Palaszczuk actually went on to a decent performance, scoring six out of 10, answering what the main street of Noosa is (Hastings), where the big pineapple is (Nambour) and whether Ingham or Townsville is further norther (Ingham! Your scribe’s last Christmas destination).

At the end of the 60 seconds Palaszczuk said she thought the GST was 10% after one of the hosts told her the answer. She didn’t escape a scolding:

You’re a politician! How do you not know that?

Palaszczuk’s response: “They want to change it.”

You can listen to it here.

Meta

Premier Campbell Newman is in Cairns, in far north Queensland. My colleagues Daniel Hurst and Fred McConnell are with him and Hurst tells me:

His first campaign stop is Kuranda, in the electorate of Barron River, which Michael Trout holds for the LNP on a margin of 9.5%. When he fronts the media, Newman is sure to be asked about last night’s poll showing he is in trouble in his own seat of Ashgrove in Brisbane.

Fred was on the Newman campaign last week too and made this great video about what the campaign is really like. Apparently some people on the trail were not amused, which just makes it even more worthy of a viewing.

The campaign is a weird place to be a journalist

We wake to day 24 of the campaign with a poll showing premier Campbell Newman is facing the loss of his Ashgrove seat. Many were expecting a last week surge for Newman but the latest Seven News/ReachTEL poll has Kate Jones ahead on a two party preferred with 54% to Newman’s 46%. Interestingly those numbers were completely opposite at this point of the last campaign with Newman on 54% and Jones on 46%.

Both leaders did not have a great day yesterday with Annastacia Palaszczuk facing tough questions about whether she was focussing on small time policies, such as the funding of 20 school nurses, and ignoring the big issues, such as the economy.

Newman made a well received speech at a LNP fundraiser, sounding and looking confident, but did not take questions from reporters afterwards.

Today, we can expect Labor to finally release their costings and their long awaited bikies policy. Up until now Labor have just promised to repeal and replace the laws, but have failed to specify exactly what the laws will be replaced with.

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