YES, MINISTER?

O’rourke keeps silent over poll intentions

MEMBER for Mundingburra Coralee O’rourke’s political future hangs in the balance with the Labor minister still not making clear her intentions for re-election.

Yesterday, News Corp revealed she was reconsidering whether to defend the soughtafter North Queensland marginal seat at the October 31 ballot.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, when questioned on Wednesday if she had clarity on Ms O’rourke’s intentions, said “no”.

She said that reports on the matter were “speculation”.

“But look, I think I’d be the first person that she’d tell, okay,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“So this is merely speculation; and as far as I’m concerned she is the endorsed candidate and endorsed member.”

Questions sent to the minister’s office yesterday also failed to clarify the issue.

A spokesman for the Ms O’rourke said that she continued to proudly serve her community.

“Coralee has nominated, been preselected and endorsed as Labor’s candidate for Mundingburra in the 2020 Queensland state election,” the spokesman said.

A Labor insider government would said the be nervous about losing Ms O’ROurke this close to an election.

She holds the seat with a paper-thin margin of 1.1 per cent.

“The ALP consider Mundingburra winnable, but it is on a knife’s edge,” the insider said.

“They would be nervous about losing someone like Coralee.”

The LNP’S member for Burdekin, Dale Last, said the voters of Mundingburra deserved to know if Ms O’ROurke would be contesting the next election, speculating that she could be feeling pressure.

“Law and order will be a significant issue and Labor’s record has been abysmal and their lack of planning and willingness to address the issue would not be giving the minister any comfort,” he said.

LNP candidate for the seat Glenn Doyle, a retired police officer, echoed the sentiment on law and order after doorknocking in the electorate.

“The people are telling me they are looking forward to a change; they need to get the economy going and control crime,” he said.

Ms O’rourke must make a decision, if one is to be made, within the next 41 days, when the writs for the election are issued.

Mundingburra is one of three Townsville electorates that will be key battlegrounds.