Source: NyunggaBlack
The election campaign by the Greens in Queensland is as vile and vicious as one would expect from the LNP and PHON. This may not be new for southern key Labor seat supporters, but as a Queenslander, this is new breed of Greens we are seeing here. What we are seeing is a more aggressive and openly mendacious brand of Greens.
The Greens Take A Leaf from Pauline’s Book
The Greens are hungry to win three inner Brisbane seats. They have adopted a new style for this campaign. Similar to PHON, the Greens are aggressively pursuing a highly ideological attack dog campaign.
Like Pauline Hanson they are remaining silent on a practical solution.
The Greens are unable to clarify if Adani can be stopped, how it can be stopped and at what cost of compensation.
When asked if the compensation bill will cripple the Queensland economy, the Greens candidate for Maiwar advised that he did not have that information. He also fails to mention former QLD Government – the LNP. The contracts were signed prior to the Labor winning office.
As majority of deal Adani made with QLD gov is ‘commercial in confidence’, I can’t know exactly how much compensation gov is liable for.
— Michael Berkman (@mcberkman) October 9, 2017
Who would know what Campbell Newman and Jeff Seeney negotiated in a contract? The same guys who signed a deal to have defective Queensland trains built overseas?
Who knows? Who cares right? This is about blaming Labor. Stay focused.
I mean, if you are going to go all Superman on our arse and stop a great big mine, at least know if we can still afford to give emergency surgery to the sick, injured and dying in public hospitals after you do it!
In a large ideologically based campaign, where you insist another party can or should do something, you need to be able to stand up.
To be a serious political force, you simply must have the practical solutions and have the political experience to detail the risks to the public and take ownership of those risks.
Otherwise, an ideological campaign is just election fodder, stuff and nonsense, finger pointing, a whole lot of lies and just like Pauline Hanson has done for 20 years – a great dollar for votes fundraising opportunity.
Greens Aggression Intensity – 100
Similar to PHON, the Greens are aggressively attacking Labor, whilst remaining silent on the LNP.
In the quest for three Inner Brisbane seats, the message that Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor are corrupt is a key message. Nothing is said about the party who actually signed the deal for Adani, the LNP.
The same LNP who for a period of three years, systematically offended nearly every single sector of our society, sacked thousands and thousand of people, literally destroyed public and community services absolutely vital to vulnerable people and were hell bent on selling off our electricity to foreign ownership.The Greens don’t think they are worth talking about.
For almost three years, Labor has had to work tirelessly to rebuild. To reinstate Public Sector workers, to return funding to vital community services, to introduce significant jobs programs, to re-organise our electricity services to keep them in our hands, to build infrastructure and roads and so much more.
The intensity of aggression by the Greens and the Stop Adani movement toward Labor is extreme and deceitful.
The Green’s silence towards the LNP and PHON is absolutely deafening.
A Selfish Political Ploy
I am very genuine when I say that I was extremely scared living under the Newman-Nicholls’ Government. Every day I would wake up and wonder if we would have jobs. Everyday someone would know someone who had lost a job, including me. It was soul destroying.
I was terrified of the increase of police presence. Searching people at servos simply because they owned motorbikes, and the police filming us protesting.
Worrying if I could trust the police, was not something I ever thought I would have to think about. But it happened under Newman.
I was worried and anxious about elderly patients in aged care, forced from their friends as homes were privatised and they had to move, and so much more.
The Alternative is LNP PHON
The Adani mine or any mine, regardless of the ideological or moral arguments, is not more important than the terrifying alternative option of the LNP back in power. Most likely with Nicholls as a puppet of Hanson; which is terrifying beyond belief.
A campaign strategy that clearly is designed to absolutely trash the Labor brand and create a vehement hate campaign towards Labor, can only have one successful outcome: A right wing Government. That is an LNP or LNP / PHON Government. The only choices to Govern in QLD are Labor or LNP. That is it. No other fantasy will become a reality.
The Greens may get their one or three seats in the process; but at what cost will this selfish, vindictive campaign towards Labor have for the rest of us?
It is possible that this utterly vicious and vindictive campaign by the Greens attacking Labor, may return LNP (plus PHON). Entirely possible.
It is also possible, by the Greens adopting the LNP/PHON mantra that Labor cannot be trusted, that Labor is corrupt, will only entice more undecided voters to vote for PHON. Hanson knows how this attack style resonates with this demographic and it is why she uses it.
With many stuck in the rigid moral and ideological vacuum about Adani, it is simply not possible to express any alternative view, without abuse from those who oppose the mine.
So here is my view of the Green’s campaign expressed in poetic form below.
I hope this form of expression, may, just may get some participating in these incessant attacks on Labor driven by the Greens, a different perspective that the real enemy is the LNP.
But But Adani – A Quest for three seats
The Greens campaign of “Stop Adani”
Has gathered momentum very quickly
Screaming Labor is corrupt, so wrongfully
When contracts were signed by LNP
May see us suffer in misery
Painful long years of Anxiety
Why don’t Greens attack PHON or LNP?
Cos Greens want three seats in inner Brissy
It’s not about regions or you and me
And here is why I hope you see
Why Greens lies about Labor are insanity
And Stop Adani is a Greens campaign strategy
Because on these issues Greens don’t have the empathy
LNP sacked the nurses who care for you and me
But But Labor and Adani
Nicholls sold aged care as a strategy
But But Labor and Adani
Nicholls tried so hard to sell our electricity
But But Labor and Adani
Nicholls shut a youth mental health facility
But But Labor and Adani
Post closure suicides there were three
But But Labor and Adani
In solitary confinement sat innocent bikies
But But Labor and Adani
Nicholls cancelled jail squad doggies
But But Labor and Adani
Then LNP attacked screening of our boobies
But But Labor and Adani
Banned singles and gays from surrogacy
But But Labor and Adani
No more Skilling Queenslanders for free
But But Labor and Adani
LNP cancelled help for tenancies
But But Labor and Adani
Nicholls canned Nurses for little schoolies
But But Labor and Adani
and sold off school ovals of sporty kiddies
But But Labor and Adani
Nicholls sold public housing for those in poverty
But But Labor and Adani
LNP killed family planning for disabilities
But But Labor and Adani
Thousands and thousands of public servants axed in a sacking frenzy
But But Labor and Adani
And seriously pissed of the judiciary
But But Labor and Adani
The Office of Climate change was history
But But Labor …..
Greens say are worse than all this you see
When Adani will still dig under LNP PHON mentality
Cos LNP signed them up with no scrutiny
Labor added strictest regulations in history
But removing Labor will cause Greens ecstasy
If they win just one seat in Inner Brissy
Greens southerners don’t live in QLD you see
And have to suffer LNP PHON cruelty
To insist a mine is more important than LNP trickery
I hope you see it’s an absurdity
And it’s not the time for voting third parties
Nor to punish Labor wrongfully
Another hung parliament is too scary
Cos there are only two choices in QLD see
Palaszczuk Labor or the Nicholls LNP (who may join with PHON crazies)
There are No Greens ruling QLD fantasies
Cos up here we battle the bloody Tories
Greens Lies may give us years of LNP PHON insecurity
I don’t want that ever again for my community
I am voting one Labor
Please stand with me.
There will be those who do not care and will never understand. They will continue their attacks on Labor and silence towards the LNP and PHON.
To them I say, enjoy Adani, more mines, more fracking, more privatisation and a loss of civil rights, including possibly the right to protest against Adani or anything else, under LNP and PHON.
The Red Window 
Blaming other parties is not the answer, it’s just more of the same! Only good policies win governments. Your comments below are just untrue and do nothing toward reconciling the problem that Labor voters are experiencing. Yes, we will the desert party we have supported for years because they leave us with no choice!
“The intensity of aggression by the Greens and the Stop Adani movement toward Labor is extreme and deceitful.
The Green’s silence towards the LNP and PHON is absolutely deafening.”
It’s the Labor government which is in power, that’s why Stop Adani protestors are targeting Anna, she called the election 2 days ago, the protest has been going for years, so don’t make out it’s some kind of conspiracy to destroy Labor! She needs to meet with the ppl and discuss how to move forward because we aren’t going away.
I’ve been a Labor voter all my life, I have a degree in environmental science and I’m 61 years old. We must take action on climate change, both major parties, state and federal have to face this line in the sand.
LikeLike
Posted by Deb Beagley | October 31, 2017, 10:10 amGiven Adani was approved by Campbell Newman against Convention while in caretaker mode,Having Federal approval through The Minister for the Environment, Federal Court approval Anna is hamstrung> would suggest you have a look at Environmental Law Australia article and time line
http://envlaw.com.au/carmichael-coal-mine-case/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Miriam Possitani | October 31, 2017, 12:19 pmHey Trish,and girl have you hit all the nails on the head
This is exactly what is going down and the detractors are only hoping for a Labor loss without even thinking of the 10 Adani`s awaiting in the LNP box of sales tricks or treats
Also this was set up years ago when Gina & Barnaby were in India at an Adani wedding
Gina`s GVKHancock Kevin`s Corner will be far larger than Carmichael and every area for tens of thousands of sq kilometres will be fracked because there`s CSG under all that country
Again well done and please offer this to Independent Australia – Crikey – The Saturday Paper – all and any Indies
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Bighead1883 | October 31, 2017, 11:07 amThx Biggy. This is the most disgusting campaign I’ve seen from Greens ever. And yes, you are so right. They certainly don’t care about returning LNP PHON
LikeLike
Posted by trishcorry | October 31, 2017, 11:16 amHave posted on Discombobulation Free
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Bighead1883 | October 31, 2017, 11:14 amTrish…. its a very serious issue
I suspect most agree LNP/PHON are horrible and want Labor… in both Qld and Aus
but without Adani
I would like to hear Labor explain about the LNP contracts and what they mean
AND explain why they cannot just tear up the contracts (like in Victoria!)
If they do not do that then I think they are gone
You need to face and do something about this (not just expect people to ignore Adani which is what Labor is doing!)
(I am a relatively happy WA voter)
David
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by David Brown | October 31, 2017, 11:18 amThe garbage Napthine did cost the Andrews government plenty as compensation,but not the multiple billions it would cost QLD taxpayers AND the Feds may push “SPECIAL ADANI LEGISLATION” overriding State laws because OIL exploration/production falls under Federal Law now-they will simply add the other two
Also stopping Roe8 has not cost the WA Gov billions either-these smaller LNP scams can be paid for
Google search some things for yourself,we all do
LikeLike
Posted by Bighead1883 | October 31, 2017, 11:42 amDavid
My understanding is to break the contracts would cost QLD $billions and in any case they would be over ridden by the Commonwealth who are the final arbiters on Adani
this may give you some history
http://envlaw.com.au/carmichael-coal-mine-case/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Miriam Possitani | October 31, 2017, 12:23 pmjust talking about Gina/Barnaby in India would help but still doesnt answer the ob vious questions….
why does Anastasia not at least say she does not want Adani but cannot escape from it?
Unlimited water????????????????????
wtf… something else must be happening, I dont believe your story
LikeLike
Posted by David Brown | October 31, 2017, 11:25 amHow about you tell a believable story then Hmmmmmmmm!
LikeLike
Posted by Bighead1883 | October 31, 2017, 11:43 amTo me the obvious question is How. The Greens are saying they will stop Adani and Labor won’t. As per the points in the article why can the Greens articulate how? What avenue.
I think the clear avenue of how it will be shut down and and benefits or risks associated with that should be detailed by those claiming this as their post election promise. That party is the Greens.
This issue is not about the moral pros and cons of Adani, but the use of a contentious issue and how the Greens are framing it to attack very viciously the Labor Party. Not the LNP. Not PHON. But Labor.
An interesting yet scary pattern I am seeing is that huge chunks of the left take a moral superiority position without the question of practicalities.
I though this type of dumb non thinking was reserved for the right.
Regardless of the moral issues, hypothetically IF the mine could be stopped by ripping up a contract (like Victoria) the facts need to be detailed by the challenger (Greens) and Labor should respond.
It is not up to Labor to write up the Greens position for them. I suggest if you want to know HOW it can be done, push those who claim they can do it for the answer.
Also regarding the water. You will find with every claim made, there is more to the story. The strictest environmental regulations in history have been placed on this mine and the federal courts have found in favour of the mine with every environmental challenge.
Has the federal court been corrupt five times too? Even with contentious issues, emotion needs to come out if we want to understand the practicalities.
LikeLike
Posted by trishcorry | October 31, 2017, 11:44 amEverine assumes Anna can just say STOP
This has been going on for years and dizens upon dozens of approvls have been given and NOT by QLD Labor
Adani: Australian Conservation Foundation loses appeal against $16b Carmichael coal mine
The Federal Court has dismissed an Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) case against Adani’s $16 billion Carmichael mine.
It follows another dismissed challenge by the Federal Court earlier this month, relating to a Native Title determination.
Concurrently with the Queensland assessment of the mine, it was assessed under the EPBC Act using a bilateral agreement and subsequently approved by the Commonwealth Environment Minister in 2014. However, the Federal Court set aside this approval by consent on 4 August 2015. The Minister reconsidered the application and granted a second approval under the EPBC Act on 14 October 2015.
http://envlaw.com.au/carmichael-coal-mine-case/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Miriam Possitani | October 31, 2017, 12:31 pmTrish it’s wonderful to see you back at it with another insightful article.
As you know I am in my political apprenticeship and thankfully learning from very experienced Labor people .
I asked a young woman who I have great respect for about the Greens and she gave me these from Media articles
“But the bigger question remains: what is the ultimate purpose of the Greens? Is it, as Brown said, to replace Labor as the major party on the centre-left? Or is it to broker its way into power by supporting minority governments? Di Natale answers yes, it remains a goal to replace Labor, but his “primary goal” is to get Green policies implemented. Frankly, it could be clearer.
Brown wrote in his memoir Optimism (2015) that the Greens were not “pro-Labor or anti-Liberal” and he considered supporting Tony Abbott to form a government in 2010.
The Greens Leader Richard Di Natale is on record with the infamous “The senator said he would “never say never” about one day forming a coalition government with the Liberal Party”,
Now other than that she believes with every fibre of her being that after 30 years or so of being relegated to the periphery of politics by an unresponsive public The Greens are getting desperate to maintain a relevance.
She strongly believes, and the comments by Brown and Di Natale above would seem to bear it out that the Greens would do anything to have a dog in the fight and the breed of dog is unimportant to the goals.and to that end they would be equally prepared to share the kennel with and ALP breed or a Liberal Nation Party mixed breed,-anything just to taste the power
as was pointed out to me today it was the Greens who gave the critical vote to the LNP in Victoria to rob Daniel Andrews of control of the Upper House there.
I am sick of Greens mouthing rubbish the have no hope of delivering and NEVER answering how the possibly could
I am sick of Greens telling blatant lies about QLD MPs, alleging corruption and this has been memorialised by residents signing stat decs .when if it were true the Police Station is where they should be.
I’m am sick of a whole lot more about the Greens but don’t want to take up any more of your space 😀
Thanks again Trish for the terrific article and your dedicated committment to the Labor cause.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Miriam Possitani | October 31, 2017, 12:13 pmThx Miriam
LikeLike
Posted by trishcorry | October 31, 2017, 12:26 pmnot sure but I think Miriam is probably confusing me with one of many other Browns
eg In my 58 years as an Australian voter in Vic, NSW, SA, WA I have never even thought of voting for Libs (esp Abbott) and dont recognise the Optimism (2015) ref
LikeLike
Posted by David Brown | October 31, 2017, 1:13 pmNot in reference to you David, my apologies if that was your interpretation, It refers to Bob Brown and his autobiography Optimism published in 2015
LikeLike
Posted by Miriam Possitani | October 31, 2017, 1:16 pmhmmm so we all hate Greens… (I hate their tactics and hate seeing them spoiling Labor’s pitch)
but the important thing right now is they seem to be successfully using Adani against Labor
and, as far as I can see Labor are not successfully working to neutralise the Greens attack
who cares about the facts of issues right now… its the impressions in voters minds that are critical in Queensland right now!
I guess Labor are busy evaluating polling and think they can dead bat Adani and still get enough votes to govern somehow
If they are right then fine
if they are wrong very sad and tragic for all of us… we need every government to be driven to reduce inequality in Australia
(and we all assume the Greens will not win enough seats for their social and environmental policies to prevail)
LikeLike
Posted by David Brown | October 31, 2017, 1:04 pmDavid
Did you even bother to read Environmental Law Australia and their chronology?
It may help you understand the difficulty in windback,
BUT then again maybe you don;t want to know that
LikeLike
Posted by Miriam Possitani | October 31, 2017, 1:14 pmOK so its your opinion its too hard for Labor to talk to voters about Adani
it really doesnt matter how much I understand about difficulties or whatever
I am already against Adani (eg. just knowing Gina/Joyce want it is enough to convince me)
in the eyes of voters the picture of Anastasia shaking hands with Adani is more important than all the research you are suggesting that I do…
I just hope Labor wins a strong majority despite Greens attacks!
LikeLike
Posted by David Brown | October 31, 2017, 1:23 pmHey David,piss off and grow up some and stop crying all over Trish`s fine comments section
LikeLike
Posted by Bighead1883 | October 31, 2017, 1:16 pmI think this is what I find remarkable. The left whinge about fake news, non thinking overcharged emotional issues and the repeating of problems rather than a solution focused response. Stop Adani is not a solution, with practicalities it is just a statement.
However here you are saying who cares what the facts are. It’s what voters think. (Even in the absence of fact)
Indeed one can have a successful campaign based on lies. The Greens current campaign based on lies, with the same momentum is as bad as the following campaigns:
Abbott’s Carbon Tax
Trickle Down Economics
The right’s stance on refugees
Howard’s “fairness” of work Choices
Cashless welfare will help people get jobs
PATH internships are good for workers
All unions are corrupt
All of those have the same underlying constructs of the Greens campaign. Although all successful, they were not based on a truthful campaign. The strategic alignment with between Hanson style campaigning and this current Greens campaign is astounding.
Although you have commented a few times, it appears that the point of IF it can be stopped. How it can be stopped and the consequences of that (compo) etc that would have a real impact on delivering funding for services in QLD is lost on you. This is not about the moral argument of mining. This is about lies and deceit and a campaign tactic that frankly should be beneath anyone on the left of politics in a progressive space. Progressives are supposed to be able to articulate vision and HOW we get their and lead the way.
Frankly, these elements are sorely lacking in the Greens camp.
LikeLike
Posted by trishcorry | October 31, 2017, 1:25 pmPolitical campaigning based solely on lies has shown recently how gullible people are
Firstly Abbott mimicking all Rudd`s policies then Turnbull squeezing out a sloppy one that punter still slipped on but couldn`t smell
Fraser did the same promising not to destroy universal health and education,they were the first two things to be destroyed with Medibank so crippled it had to be renewed as Medicare
The Greens only bang one drum then send it through their gullible ranks
Prior Adani it was all Manus/Nauru/Refugees are Labors fault
Yet Labor never began any of these one drum banging Greens projects
Howard illegally invaded Iraq then built two offshore concentration camps for refugees fleeing OUR bombs
Gina Reinhart & Barnaby Joyce courted Adani so Gina can piggyback her Kevin`s Corner coal
But again people are missing the BIGGEST elephant in the room=FRACKING
GIna will FRACK Queensland to death is Nicholls wins
That will destroy EVERY aquifer in QLD and the Artesian basin in 3 States
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Bighead1883 | October 31, 2017, 1:38 pmThe key note that won me over here is not just Adani being a Newman thing but a Federal deal. I was actually oblivious to that fact and also with the looming threat of North QLD seats maybe going to One Nation even though I support Greens/ALP in swings I am prepared to with better hindsight re-align my focus to the real enemy. This blog was helpful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Patrick Orr | October 31, 2017, 6:36 pmThx Pat
LikeLike
Posted by trishcorry | October 31, 2017, 6:42 pmMy understanding is that Federal Labor has backed away supporting Adani. This is not a simple issue of being one party over the other but it was started way back in 2010 with Anna Bligh opening up areas for mining. On saying that her focus was jobs for regional Queensland. The Federal level it was Greg Hunt that approved Adani and he ignored certain environmental impacts. This is a state and Federal issue that has occurred over successive governments and my understanding the states have limited say on certain aspects. The real issue here is the Adani group and the long term impacts on the environment. Using tactics that attack a government and in this case the Labor one calling them corrupt to gain inner city seats is not going to help the Greens in the long run. What are they offering ? how will the things they offer be funded , what are the alternatives because there are people who want to work and some have limited choice go without work or earn some money, this is those who are in mining .I can’t imagine it would be easy for the state government. The push is obviously from a large Corporation. Why can’t the Greens focus on what they can provide. I am not labor btw I am just interested in politics. I am also not Greens. No way Conservative Liberal , National regressive all those things I am against. PHON being elected is not good. Thanks for writing this blog. Good luck at the election Qld and keep out the LNP and PHON.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by clare 🌈 (@absurdpingvin) | November 2, 2017, 8:40 pm