Minister charged up over bill flyer
Midnight Oil in second Cairns fundraiser 07 4052 6940
ENERGY Minister Mark Bailey has verbally drawn and quartered the LNP for a flyer with “outrageous misinformation” being distributed in the Far North.
LNP candidate for Barron River Michael Trout has been doing the rounds with a leaflet stating “a household in Barron River will see their power bill go up another 7.1 per cent this year”.
He was still doorknocking and handing out the flyer to constituents yesterday.
The 7.1 per cent figure referred to was based on the Queensland Competition Authority’s final determination for regional power prices made on May 31.
Treasurer Curtis Pitt called a media conference within an hour of that announcement, outlining a plan to cut the price hike back to 3.3 per cent with an unprecedented $770 million State Government subsidy.
“They sat through the whole budget week, they saw the press conference, it’s all out there,” Mr Bailey said.
“And here they are putting outright bald-faced lies in people’s letterboxes.
“There is no excuse for this figure. This is them lying to the people of Far North Queensland about the basic facts of what’s going on.”
Mr Bailey, who was reinstated to Cabinet on Friday after the Crime and Corruption Commission announced he would not face charges over his deletion of a former email account, said he was weighing up whether to take further action.
“I’m considering what other appropriate measures there might be. It is absolute gutter politics,” he said.
Mr Trout said the Energy Minister was out of touch with Far North electorates.
“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that power prices have rocketed up under this Labor government,” he said.
“Summer is approaching and airconditioning is needed, but sadly many people will not be able to afford it.”
Opposition energy spokesman Michael Hart stood by his party’s candidate.
“It is a little bit rich for Labor’s Mark Bailey to claim others are peddling lies and mistruths,” he said.
“He has been peddling Labor’s lies for the past three years.”
SUMMER IS APPROACHING AND AIRCONDITIONING IS NEEDED, BUT SADLY MANY PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT
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AUSSIE rock legends Midnight Oil will perform a second concert in Cairns to help protect the Great Barrier Reef.
The gig, supporting reef activism and research, is on October 6 at the Tanks Arts Centre at Edge Hill.
“The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most beautiful and intricate ecosystems,” Oils drummer Rob Hirst said.
He said all proceeds from the show will go to a nonpartisan scientific research organisation called Great Barrier Reef Legacy.
A very limited number of tickets will go on sale online at 10am tomorrow and are limited to strictly two per buyer.
Midnight Oil has already sold out its concert at Kuranda Amphitheatre on Saturday, October 7.
More information available via 1300 855 835 or www.ticketlink.com.au.