Anna’s election lesson
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk at a Gold Coast conference has told unionists that the key to a federal election victory for Labor will be a grassroots campaign connecting with workers.
Ms Palaszczuk received a standing ovation before she gave a brief speech to close the first day of sessions at the Australian Workers’ Union national conference at Jupiters Hotel and Casino yesterday.
“I know that here in Queensland part of our success has been because of a grassroots campaign,” she said.
“The workers have been out there in the field, standing up every day for workers’ rights.”
Ms Palaszczuk believes the sacking of public servants and attacks on the industrial relations, education and health sectors had cost the Newman government at the polls.
“There are some lessons here for the Federal Government and words of encouragement for (federal Opposition leader) Bill Shorten.
“Here in Queensland, we have listened to Queenslanders,” she said.
Earlier at the conference, former treasurer and deputy prime minister Wayne Swan admitted he was “still smiling” about the state election result in February.
Mr Swan in his address to AWU delegates said Labor had a “pretty good” chance of winning the next federal election.
He described the victory as causing a “political earthquake” but told delegates Labor would need to present a united front and show courage on major policy issues.
“I think that can give us cause for optimism,” Mr Swan said, adding that the bookmakers had even failed to understand the market.
“There are no two political leaders in Australia that are more alike than Tony Abbott and Campbell Newman,” Mr Swan added.
“So I think it is reasonable to conclude that the chances of winning government back again federally are pretty good. We can’t take it for granted.
“And we do know the way things are happening in Canberra that something could happen at any time. But I believe that we can win the next election and will win the next election.”
Mr Swan welcomed a move by AWU delegates yesterday to ramp up their campaign on a domestic gas reservation scheme.
The conference was earlier told families and pensioners could see their gas bills increase by $500 a year because Australia lacks a scheme which protects local suppliers.
AWU national secretary Scott McDine told delegates: “We are today staring down the barrel of a gas price crisis. The cost of gas will triple over coming years.
“We are talking about a 300 per cent rise. One in five heavy manufacturers will close. By 2023, 235,000 jobs will be lost.
“Consider what will happen to families and pensioners when their gas bills rise by $500 a year.”
Australia is pumping more gas than ever before with billions invested but because multinational foreign companies were shipping it out, locals will be forced to compete with a higher global price.