Protests against razor gang get louder

F I R E F I G H T E R S h a v e threatened strike action as angry protests against the Newman Government’s planned budget cuts escalate.

About 1000 paramedics and f i r e f i g h t e r s marched on P a r l i a me n t House yesterd a y , u s i n g s i r e n s a n d h o r n s t o e m p h a s i s e t h e i r c o mplaints during one of the loudest protests heard there.

Some hurled their boots ‘‘which stand on the frontline’’ over the Parliament House fence.

Teachers then rallied outside the House in what has become a series of protests building up to a massive union rally planned for September 12.

Premier Campbell Newman came under particular attack for not having the ‘‘guts’’ to meet the protesters as other premiers had.

It capped a bad week for Mr Newman, with another poll finding almost 50 per cent of voters thought he had gone too far with funding and job cuts.

In Parliament, Mr Newman did not rule out closing ambulance stations and cutting paramedic numbers.

‘‘All things are being looked at,’’ he said.

‘‘I am not going to come into this place and make guarantees on any matter whatsoever.’’

Firefighters and paramedics are concerned the government is recruiting foreign workers to replace them and fear services will be privatised or outsourced.

Teachers also rallied to complain about a low pay offer and changes to their work conditions.

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney said although he heard the noisy protesters from his office, they were wasting their time.

‘‘Protesting is not going to help,’’ Mr Seeney said.

‘‘If it’s about the steps the government is taking to solve the terrible financial situation that we have been left, then the tough decisions that we have to make are not going to be influenced by a group of people making a noise outside the gates.’’