PM, boxer take sides
Turnbull and Horn come out to campaign
QUEENSLAND’S would-be-premiers looked to their heavyweight backers to launch their campaigns yesterday.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made his first appearance in the Queensland election, speaking at the LNP’s campaign launch in an inner-Brisbane concert venue.
Meanwhile world champion boxer Jeff Horn told the Labor campaign launch, on the Gold Coast, he was in Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s corner.
LNP leader Tim Nicholls told party faithful he had learnt from the party’s mistakes under Campbell Newman and would “not let you down”.
Mr Turnbull introduced Mr Nicholls to the stage and told the party faithful in attendance Queensland faced “a momentous choice”.
“It is a very clear choice, a choice between having another three years of having a lazy, do-nothing, green, left Labor government,” he said.
“Or the LNP team, led by Tim Nicholls, which has the plans, it has the vision, it has the experience to get Queensland moving again.
“When Tim Nicholls is the Premier of Queensland, you will have once again a Federal Coalition government, a Queensland LNP government, working together delivering the investment, ensuring the jobs, the growth, the infrastructure that Queensland needs. Only the LNP can do it.”
Among high-profile attendees at the LNP campaign launch were former premiers Campbell Newman, Mike Ahern and Rob Borbidge. Federal politicians in attendance included Attorney-General George Brandis and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister James McGrath.
Mr Nicholls used the launch to promise a $20 million program to get mature-age jobseekers back into the workforce, including $9 million for a dedicated job-matching service in a Trump-esque pitch to the “forgotten people”.
“I believe we must do more to avoid a forgotten generation crisis,” he said.
“The forgotten men and women of the generational labour market shift will no longer be forgotten under the LNP. I will make sure of it.
“We can’t afford for a generation of middle-aged men and women not to be given a hand up to retrain or re-skill as job opportunities shift.
“We can’t afford to lose them – economically, socially and emotionally.”
At the Labor launch Mr Horn told the crowd he was backing Ms Palaszczuk in her “title defence”.
Horn said Ms Palaszczuk was a “friend” who believed in him and he backed her to win the election.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk believed in me. She backed me when many others wouldn’t,” he said. “She backed my title defence, and I back her in hers.”
They grew close during Mr Horn’s rise to fame after the Battle for Brisbane where the Brisbane local was able to defeat Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao earlier in the year.
Ms Palaszczuk was snapped buying a copy of Horn’s recently released book during the first week of the election campaign.
She announced, if re-elected, she would extend the current first home buyers’ grant.
“I know that for every young Queenslander the dream of home ownership has become a lot harder,” she said.
“My government is committed to getting young families into housing, and we will extend our increased first home owner’s grant.”
Ms Palaszczuk promised Queenslanders a “better way” in 2015 and was intent on continuing that mantra during the next term of government.
“I promised a stable government that took Queenslanders with it, instead of one that took them for granted,” she said.
“Over the last 1000 days, my government has worked hard to deliver our commitments, to restore hope and opportunity.”
Ms Palaszczuk has again pressed her claim for a majority government, saying only she can continue to cut debt while taking a shot at Mr Nicholls, accusing him of having plans for more job cuts.
Ms Palaszczuk said she had made only “measured” and “responsible” commitments during the campaign.
“When I make a commitment, I deliver. I will never promise something I can’t deliver,” she said.
I BELIEVE WE MUST DO MORE TO AVOID A FORGOTTEN GENERATION CRISIS. TIM NICHOLLS