RED SEA RISES
LNP failures and a popular premier hand Labor a runaway state election win
THE LNP and its leader Deb Frecklington ( pictured) failed to make k headway in winnable North Queensland seats because it underestimated voters and attempted to woo them with recycled law and order policies, a political expert has said.
Townsville’s three marginal electorates, and the Cairns seat of Barron River, had been viewed as ripe for the LNP’S picking this election. But an expectation-defying swing of 2-3 per cent to Labor in all four seats, which has surprised the party itself, will see the status quo remain in the North.
LABOR has promised almost half a billion dollars in major works across North Queensland, and it’s time to get cracking.
Townsville voters have kept Labor safe in three of the most important seats in the state and the community will expect results.
The LNP’S “tough on crime” approach has failed to win over the votes for the second election in a row and the community will rely on Labor to drive growth in the region in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Labor promised a host of projects including more than $65m in hospital upgrades, $41m for North Queensland schools, upgraded roads and $12m to improve access to the Lansdown Industrial Precinct.
The party will return to state government for a third term with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the helm and there is more than $477m in major works to get underway.
Despite the seats not officially being called, it looks like former councillor Les Walker will join Townsville MP Scott Stewart and Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper in the North Queensland Labor team as the Mundingburra MP.
Ms Palaszczuk’s announcements focused on creating short and long-term jobs, with the party investing heavily in tertiary education and infrastructure. While Labor pushed for jobs, it also honed in on key issues in communities.
Its $7m for investment in the Horseshoe Bay roads that were damaged in the 2019 monsoon event was a key promise for the community.
The $4m for the Townsville Sailing Club helped the club get the help it needed to expand and refurbish.
The party has a promising history in delivering projects in North Queensland with a Townsville Bulletin analysis revealing the state government delivered on all but one pledge, with funding for a solar thermal plant near Townsville redirected into a wind farm after it was found to not be a viable idea.