2020 QUEENSLAND DECIDES: Issue 4

Well that escalated quickly!

The first week of the campaign resembled a tropical holiday. Week 2 has seen a number of hard political hits and big spending announcements from both sides.

Bombshell revelations

An ABC News report has raised allegations that the Leader of the Opposition has been referred to the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

Ms Frecklington has said that she has not be referred to the ECQ and that she has not heard from the ECQ.

The ALP has said that the LNP is ‘leaking’ against its leader, including the release of a letter from the LNP to MPs and candidates advising that "To ensure full compliance with the legislation and to avoid any perception that the event is a fundraiser attended by prohibited donors, please ensure that prohibited donors are NOT invited to private events and you avoid any such events where it is known that prohibited donors will be in attendance."

The Treasurer has used a favourite refrain of campaigns past: “If you can’t govern your party, you can’t govern Queensland.”

Key allegations relate to the attendance of the Leader of the Opposition at fundraising events attended by property developers, who are banned from making political donations in Queensland. According to reports, guests at the events have given almost $150,000 to the LNP campaign, but there is no evidence of donations from any developers who attended. The issue is a major distraction for the LNP's campaign.

According to a separate report in the Australian newspaper, on June 24 the LNP Leader met with a Business Advisory Forum to discuss her open borders campaign.  According to papers for the meeting, the open borders campaign had been coordinated with the Prime Minister and some of Queensland’s most prominent property developers attended the meeting.

The 'rule in rule out' game

Since resigning as Deputy Premier and Treasurer in May this year, Jackie Trad has remained an important figure in Queensland politics.

She is known as a tenacious fighter and generally characterised as being towards the left of Labor's ideological spectrum. Perhaps more importantly, as leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party’s largest group, the media and Opposition have from time-to-time argued that she ‘pulls the strings’ of the government.

Through an online post, Ms Trad that she would not be seeking to return to the front bench. At a press conference, the Premier confirmed Ms Trad would not be part of the Cabinet, should Labor be re-elected.

Discussing what the make-up of cabinet will be following an election is fraught.  Under a parliamentary system you cannot be a member of a front bench if you fail to be elected as an MP. Making statements about who is in or out during the campaign is a no-win game which both parties will try their best to avoid. At the same time, Cabinet membership can be a legitimate question, which is hard to avoid during the campaign.

Early voting

Due to COVID-19, the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) is undertaking a "polling period", so that voters are able to exercise their democratic right safely.

Around 20% or 700,000 electors have already registered for postal votes. The ECQ started to post these yesterday. Early in-person voting (prepoll) is being made available at 200 locations around the State from next Monday 19 October.

It follows then that more than half of all ballots will be cast before 31 October. At the March Council elections, held at the height of the pandemic in Queensland, around two and a half million of the 3.3 million eligible voters may have voted early.

The real significance of early voting is that it changes the cadence of campaigning. During a 26 day campaign, parties tend to start out with gentle and positive messages. As the weeks progress messages harden, with negative campaigning escalating over the penultimate and final week.

With two high-stakes political issues at the centre of the campaign just 2 days before postal voters start to receive their ballots, we can only imagine how tough this campaign will become.

The Leaders

Premier

• On Friday in Cairns Ms Palaszczuk announced a $1 billion Greater Schools Plan which includes $433m new classrooms and administration buildings, and $258 million for multi-purpose and performing arts centres.

• On the Gold Coast on Saturday the Premier announced $30 million to Surf Lifesaving Queensland to support the organisation.

• At the Royal Women and Brisbane’s Hospital on Sunday the Premier continued a strong emphasis on health with an announcement that the Government will hire an extra 9,475 frontline health staff.

• In Pumicestone in Brisbane’s north on Monday the Premier announced seven new satellite hospitals in Redlands, Pine Rivers, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Caboolture on Bribie Island, Brisbane Southside (near QEII Hospital), at a cost of $265 million supporting up to 768 jobs during construction.

• In Maryborough on Tuesday the Premier, along with vocal local MP Bruce Saunders, announced a $1 billion pipeline of work for the town’s train manufacturing infrastructure, creating 690 jobs.  The announcement included manufacturing of 20 new trains for the SEQ network. The Premier was cheered by workers following the announcement (pictured). She finished the day in Bundaberg.

• In Gladstone on Wednesday Ms Palaszczuk announced her government will invest $45 million in 26 schools to strengthen industry-linked training, while also spruiking the State's hydrogen industry.

Leader of the Opposition

• In Townsville on Friday Ms Frecklington announced that an LNP Government will reduce electricity costs for manufacturing businesses by 20%.  She also discussed the party’s plan for a Built-In-Queensland fund, and guaranteed no new or increased taxes.

• On Saturday the Leader of the Opposition was joined by the Prime Minister to tour Neumann Steel on the Gold Coast, where she discussed the LNP’s pledge to reduce energy costs for manufacturers.  She also spending on the M1 between the Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

• On Sunday, the Leader of the Opposition toured Rheinmetall Defence Australia’s new Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence with the Prime Minister, who was there to open the facility (pictured).  An LNP Government will co-invest with RDA to build a new technology precinct at Redbank creating 850 new jobs.

• The LNP also announced a $300 car registration discount, available on every car registered in the State. Under the policy there will be no limit on the number of discounts that can be received.

• In Hervey Bay on Monday the Leader of the Opposition announced the LNP will spend $300 million and use private hospitals to reduce waiting lists.

• On Tuesday in the electorate of Redcliffe, the Leader of the Opposition was joined by Deputy Leader and Shadow Treasurer, Tim Mander to announce that the LNP will remove a tax on motor homes and camper vans which she says will reduce the cost of these vehicles by $2300.

• In Mackay on Wednesday, Ms Frecklington announced $50 million for grants of up to $15,000 to cyclone proof homes North of Bundaberg to Thursday Island, generating 450 jobs.