Kicking off a big spend
ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk has vowed to help the unemployed, struggling schoolchildren, working families and the dying as she unveiled a multibillion-dollar pitch to Queenslanders ahead of early voting starting today.
The big-spending Premier made a plethora of promises at yesterday’s Labor launch, including committing to introduce voluntary assisted dying legislation to the parliament in February if she is returned to power.
Her euthanasia pledge, came as she poured $171m into improving palliative care and spoke of the “deeply personal” experience of losing a loved one.
Ms Palaszczuk, who recently lost her grandmother, said she wanted to do more “to provide greater comfort and dignity for people approaching the end of their lives”.
Ms Palaszczuk earned several standing ovations as she laid out her announcements in rapid succession.
They included free TAFE courses and apprenticeships for under 25s for in-demand jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, early childhood education, aviation, electrical and automotive, costing $21m.
Mental health care would get a $100m boost to ensure every primary and secondary state school student has access to a psychologist, youth worker, behavioural specialist or other professional if needed.
Labor would spend $8m to create “homework hubs” at 120 state schools where teacher aides will supervise children to alleviate the pressures on working parents.
The Premier confirmed a $2.2bn spend to hire 6100 teachers and 1100 teacher aides to match growing student numbers, and $20m to set up paid internships to attract aspiring teachers from other fields And she pledged $40m for advanced manufacturing hubs in a continued push to grow manufacturing capabilities.