It’s Anna-a-go-go ... go anywhere but the Coast
THE Opposition says Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is too scared to visit the Gold Coast after camping out at other coastal regional cities during the election campaign’s first week.
After Sunday’s announcement of a November 25 poll, Ms Palaszczuk held a press conference the following day at Prosperine Hospital and was later snapped cuddling a puppy in the Townsville park.
The Premier chatted with Cairns school students yesterday and was photographed catching up with Keppel MP Brittany Lauga, who showed off her new born baby girl Odette at the Dreamtime Cultural Centre in Rockhampton.
Despite the new seat of Bonney and the marginal neighbouring seat of Gaven being within Labor’s grasp, the ALP has only trotted out a few ministers for Coast press conferences.
Political analysts believe Labor must pick up at least one Coast seat to secure majority government.
Labor will depend on Commonwealth Games Minister Kate
Jones to boost its chances on the Coast during the cam- paign. She is expected to return on the weekend.
Opposition leader Tim Nicholls as early as Wednesday dropped by Nerang to talk to small business owners about LNP policies and promised to be a frequent tourist.
But his LNP team predict the Premier will be a rare visitor to the Coast, a campaign member maintaining that “she was scared off after community Cabinet down here”.
The Government during the week-long visit in August faced a backlash after canning the $3 billion planned ASF casino-resort on The Spit.
In the Parliament a week later defending the loss of
13,000 jobs, the Premier told the Opposition benches: “I note there have been a lot of questions today from Gold Coast MPs. They must have loved our visit to the Gold Coast last week.
“They loved having us down there. I love the Gold Coast. We love the Gold Coast.”
The Premier’s last media commitment on the Coast was on August 18 at the Southport Aquatic Centre where she announced the Queens Batons Relay Batonbearers for the Commonwealth Games. LNP Campaign Spokesperson Scott Emerson yesterday accused the Premier of putting political self interest above the interests of Gold Coasters.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk is only driven by polling and politics so it’s little wonder she is missing in action on the Gold Coast,” he said.
“The last time Annastacia Palaszczuk visited the Gold Coast she killed off 13,000 jobs, wiping billions of dollars from the local economy in the process, in a desperate bid to secure inner-city Green preferences.”
Mr Emerson said Labor have no plan to create jobs and reduce the cost of living.
“She always puts political self-interest ahead of the interests of Queenslanders,” he said.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor just don’t get the Gold Coast.”