Labor’s Virgin bailout plan is a flight of fancy: Mander

THE latest unemployment figures were grim for Queensland, with more than 129,500 people leaving the workforce in April.

Sadly, there’s nothing new about high unemployment in Queensland.

Thanks to Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queensland recorded the nation’s worst average unemployment rate in the two years before the pandemic began.

With unemployment now climbing faster than ever, the Palaszczuk Labor Government should be totally focused on protecting jobs.

But Labor is instead distracted by the integrity scandal that has brought down Jackie Trad and forced Grace Grace into hiding.

No government that has three Treasurers in two days can get a proper grip on the economy. Labor usually responds to scandals by creating a diversion – and Palaszczuk’s latest pick as Treasurer, Cameron Dick, has produced a first-class furphy.

He declared that Labor would rescue Virgin Australia with “some sort of financial instrument” costing $200 million.

The plan was light on detail, but details don’t always bother Mr Dick.

Especially as Labor’s rescue bid will almost certainly never be needed.

About 18 private investors are circling the failed airline and only one is required to get Virgin’s aircraft back in the skies.

I’m confident the airline will survive in private ownership and I’m certain Labor are the last people who should run it. There’s no doubt that Queensland needs a second domestic airline to keep airfares low and to support aviation and tourism jobs.

But it’s not the role of the State Government to bail out a lossmaking business and put taxpayers’ money at risk – especially when private investors are ready to step in.

If Labor wants to create jobs instead of creating headlines, it should put $200 million into a war chest earmarked for tourism marketing.

With international travel likely to be restricted for some time, Queensland’s tourism industry will soon be in a State-of-Origin battle for Australian tourists.

What we urgently need from the State Government is an allout marketing blitz to get Aussies to take their next holiday in Queensland.

We need to back Brand Queensland, as well as destination marketing, to maximise our tourist appeal.

While the private sector will invest in Virgin, it will not invest in the marketing campaign Queensland needs.

Selling our state is the responsibility of the Queensland Government.

Annastacia Palaszczuk and her team should remember that.

It’s time for Labor to stop worrying about their own careers and start acting in the interests of all Queenslanders.