QLD Politics

Labor, Adani and A Quest for Green Seats

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.

Women are just a Political Game for the QLD LNP.

The encouragement of women into the political sphere and the development of current women MP’s should be a genuine intrinsic motivator for all politicians, across the political spectrum. However the Queensland State Liberal National Party Opposition have chosen to participate in political games, rather than engage in political progress for women. 

The QLD LNP State Opposition have denied a pair for attendance at the Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentarians’ (CWP) Annual Planning Meeting. Queensland Representative, Brittany Lauga, MP (ALP) is now unable to attend and Queensland will have no representative. A pair is required as QLD has a hung parliament. Ms. Lauga said that, “Pairs are granted all the time for Ministers and Members to attend different meetings.”

This is an indictment on the leadership and values of the LNP. It clearly shows that the LNP view women’s representation in politics as something frivolous to be scoffed at and something to play games with.

Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentarians

The CWP plays a vital role in the devolopment of women to enter into politics and also for the women who are currently in Office. The statement from the CWP website, describes their purpose as:

The CWP Steering Committee believes Australian political and party behaviours and cultures need to improve if we are to achieve equitable outcomes for women in Parliament. Moreover, women who are elected to Parliament deserve to be heard on policy and governance issues, especially gendered issues such as domestic violence where our laws and programs have tragically failed too many women.

It is essential that women politicians are given every opportunity to participate in any forum, conference or committee, which will enhance the role of women in public life.

Women’s representation in the State and Territory Parliaments is low and needs vast improvement.  The LNP have only eight women MPs out of a total of 42 MP’s in the QLD State Parliament (19%).

A Show of Good Bipartisanship

Ms. Verity Barton, MP (LNP), was the CWP QLD representative from 2012 – 2015.  Ms. Lauga wrote to the former CWP representative in the spirit of bipartisanship on the 25 October, 2016.

Dear Verity and the Broadwater EO,

On Thursday 3 and Friday 4 November 2016 the CWP is holding a face-to-face meeting in Hobart. I have negotiated with the CWP to allow an observer from the Queensland Opposition to attend and I wondered if Verity would like to be that representative? The Clerk of the Parliament and the Speaker have both approved this. Travel would have to be arranged using the Member’s GTA through Travel Services. Would you be interested in coming along?

Ms. Barton advised she was unable to attend.

Ms. Lauga then wrote to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Deb Frecklington MP, on the 27th October, 2016, to extend the offer to any other woman in the LNP Opposition.  However, to date, Ms. Lauga has not received a reply from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Ms. Barton was afforded every opportunity to attend CWP events as the Queensland representative from 2012 to 2015.  This includes attending the Pan-Commonwealth Conference for Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Houses of Parliament, UK,  in June 2014 and the 3rd Pacific Women’s Parliamentary Partnerships Forum in Fiji, in May, 2015.
(pictured below).

 

 

An ALP Junket and Upgrades to Business Class for LNP

In a statement to The Rockhampton Morning Bulletin on Wednesday 2nd November, 2016, an LNP spokesman advised that:

“Ms Lauga does not require leave from the Opposition to attend a parliamentary junket at taxpayers’ expense”

To describe a conference, which underpins the vital and crucial development of women representing women, in a country where Domestic Violence is an epidemic; as “A Junket” is beyond offensive to ALL women.

The statement from the LNP spokesperson is not only offensive, but the LNP may need to look in their own backyard before casting aspersions on others.

All MPs who undertake international travel are required to submit a report.  I have been able to source Ms. Barton’s report for her international travel to Fiji, but there appears to be an absence of a report for Ms. Barton’s international travel to London for the CWP Conference UK, 2014.

In addition, Ms. Barton’s Fiji report lists upgrades to business class equating to $1300. This exceeds the cost required for Ms. Lauga to attend the CWP Annual Planning meeting in Hobart.

If Ms. Barton has not submitted a report for her international travel to London, this may be a matter for the ethics committee.

Encouragement from the Speaker

The Speaker of the House, Mr. Peter Wellington, MP (IND) (and also chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association of which CWP is a sub-branch) raised the matter today in the spririt of encouragement and fairness at a meeting between the LNP and Labor. However, the LNP still refused to grant a pair.

Ms. Lauga wrote to the Speaker on Tuesday to express her disappointment.

Dear Mr Speaker,

As discussed today, a meeting of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians is planned for Thursday 3 November (dinner) and all day Friday 4 November.

In the spirit of bipartisanship, I sought approval from the CWP for an observer to attend so a woman from the Opposition can also partake in the meeting.

Once approval was granted by the Chair of the CWP Michelle O’Byrne, I wrote to the former CWP Queensland Representative, the Member for Broadwater Verity Barton MP to invite her to take up the observer position (see attached email).

Further, I also provided the Member for Broadwater with a copy of my itinerary in case she wished to take the same flights and stay at the same hotel as I had planned. The Member for Broadwater refused the invitation (see attached email).

I subsequently wrote to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Deb Frecklington MP and extended the offer for her, or another female member of the LNP Opposition to attend the CWP meeting as an observer (see attached email). To date I have not received a response to this offer.

My understanding is that it is unlikely the LNP will agree to a pair for me to attend the CWP meeting in Hobart, despite the offer for the LNP to send an observer to the meeting. It would be an embarrassment for Queensland not to be represented at the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians meeting considering all other States, Territories and the Commonwealth will all be represented.

It would be particularly disappointing given that the Member for Broadwater was offered every opportunity to partake in CWP meetings and activities as the former CWP Queensland representative. Queensland, and indeed all of the women members of the Queensland Parliament, deserve to have active representation at the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians.

The LNP’s refusal to allow a pair to the meeting would be a State shame, but it does highlight the LNP’s failure to acknowledge the importance of women being represented in our Queensland Parliament.

Kind regards

Brittany

A National Statement of Disappointment

Any woman reading this, will have their own personal story about their lived experience of denial of opportunity due to sexism or gender discrimination. The level of disparity is further ingrained for women of colour, women with a disability, women in regional an rural communities, women in poverty and the LGBTIQ community and other minority groups.

It is not only important for all Queensland women to be represented, by their state MPs at these important events, but more so for women in these groups.  As inequality is a serious issue throughout Australia as a whole.

The Australian Chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Michelle O’Byrne MP who is also the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania, made this statement on behalf of all women.

‘It is extremely disappointing to see political game playing interfere with this important role that supports women in parliament and works to increase the participation of women in political life.

Unfortunately I note that this view is not held by the LNP for male attendance at national committees and events not was it their view when the Queensland role was held by a LNP member. It is disappointing that Queensland will not be represented at this national meeting’.

Men in Blue Ties

The LNP appear more interested in playing political games to harm the progress of women, instead of supporting and encouraging participation of women from both sides of the house.

An interesting question to raise is; have the ‘Men in Blue Ties’ also denied the participation of women in their own party, so they could play games with the hung parliament?

What would Malcom Turnbull Say?

The Federal Leader of the Liberal and National Coalition and Prime Minister famously said:

“You’ve heard me say this before, but it’s worth repeating. Not all disrespecting women ends up in violence against women. But that is where all violence against women begins,”

I ask in all seriousness, would the Prime Minister approve of his State counterpart purposely playing political antics with the opportunities of women MP’s to participate in a forum who have one of their key purposes as:

“Women who are elected to Parliament deserve to be heard on policy and governance issues, especially gendered issues such as domestic violence where our laws and programs have tragically failed too many women.”

The State QLD LNP are disrespecting women at the highest level. That is, preventing women parliamentarians to attend an event that is integral in working towards a progressive future where women’s experiences of legal discrimination and discrimination by default are rederessed.

I encourage everyone to urgently place pressure on the Prime Minister to stand up to his State counterpart, the Leader of the QLD LNP, Tim Nicholls, to ensure that a pair is granted in the QLD State Parliament, to enable participation in CWP and similar events from LNP and Labor women MPs, at all times.

If the Prime Minister implies that “This is up to the QLD LNP” or places blame on the QLD ALP, then his attendance at the CWP Conference in 2015, was nothing, but for show.

LNP want to privatise Rockhampton hospital. Still no 24 hour Medical Imaging Service!

Just because there is an election on, I’d like to remind readers that Campbell Newman and the LNP want to privatise Rockhampton Hospital and there is still no 24 hour medical imaging service.  If you vote for LNP what other critical services will be abolished and privatised?

Think before you vote! Put LNP last!

 

 

If anyone has ever been critically ill, had an accident, bringing a new life to your family or had to take a loved one to a public hospital, you understand the dire need for a solid and responsive public health system.

These times are trying times and quality care and the resources to provide effective and immediate response is crucial.  Outside of the emergency department, there are many departments that link in to provide effective and immediate care.  These include, Pathology, X-Ray and Imaging, Renal Unit, Maternity, Ward Staff and Pharmacy to name a few.   If these departments are not funded and resourced and held to the tight regulations enforced by the public sector, then profits above health will prevail.

We are already seeing attacks on Medicare with co-payments and a fee to use the emergency department. It seems that the Newman Government and Abbott Government is set on destroying our public health system.  It seems that the Liberal and National Coalition and LNP in QLD do not give a damn about the sick, frail, elderly and disabled.  I hope the people reading this do.

The Newman Government has been attacking our Public Hospital system, since their first day in office, as can be seen by the many press releases from the QNU

Many regional towns service wide communities, inclusive or surrounding and rural areas.  Many regional towns only have one public hospital, like Rockhampton Base Hospital.

What will occur when the only public hospital in the region is privatised?  The Newman Government is now on the attack to privatise the Rockhampton Base Hospital.  The intellectual capital and dedicated staff could also be lost, as well as decisions not to invest in the latest technology, as they will be after all, profit driven and not health driven.  Many will argue that there are many fine Private Hospitals; but these come at a price with revenue feeding in and fee paying patients.  The people who rely on a public system, cannot afford to have care curtailed due to a focus on profits, when there is a different revenue stream to a Private Hospital.  If cost didn’t affect operations, the public would have had access to the Private System for years at no charge.

Please put LNP last and have this stopped. Regional areas cannot afford such a move to privatisation. Even if you traditionally vote Liberal or National, if you want to prevent this privatisation, at the next election, please vote for a party that is not LNP, nor one that preferences LNP at the next election and put the LNP last. Please talk to volunteers at the voting booth and do your homework.  Regional areas cannot afford to lose our Public Hospital system. Please…for the sake of the people who need it, even if you don’t.

Please put LNP last on your ballot paper to stop this attack on essential services!  To date there is still no 24 hour medical imaging service at Rockhampton Hospital.

I’ll leave you with this news report about the privatisation of Rockhampton Hospital.  It must be stopped.

*Previously published on Polyfeministix