Alarm over fumbles

I HAVE watched on in interest over the past six months as the state election looms large.

Normally I am not one to write a letter to the paper, but after what I witnessed the other evening I felt compelled to.

As they say: long time reader, first time writer!

I decided on Wednesday night to tune into the hearings occurring at State Parliament to see for myself whether all that is printed in these pages about Coralee O’Rourke was true.

To say that I was alarmed is a true understatement. I sat there and watched as she bumbled and fumbled her way through the hearings and couldn’t even answer the simplest of questions about Townsville issues without being handed a piece of paper with an answer on it.

It was very disappointing and disheartening to watch.

It was not as though she was asked to explain the science behind the Hadron Collider. The questions were fairly simple, and questions that I would say are on the minds of most Townsville residents, things like unemployment, crime, electricity and cost of living.

However, she couldn’t answer them without being handed a piece of paper and regurgitating political party spin and rubbish.

Dejected at the representation she is providing me, I decided to do some Googling and was aghast to learn that she earns $ 300,000 plus a year for her efforts.

I was also disgusted to learn that this is by no means the first time she has been caught out not being across the issues facing Townsville.

Ms O’Rourke was quoted as saying in the Bulletin that “energy is an issue that gets raised with me on a weekly basis”.

Well Ms O’Rourke, I have a question for you. What are you actually doing about it? What are you doing to reduce my electricity bill? What are you doing to ensure we feel safe in our homes? What are you doing to ensure my kids can stay in Townsville and get a job?

From what I saw the other night, not much, but a lot of hot air and fancy words that no doubt some highly- paid adviser spent weeks frothing over.

Remember, actions louder than words.

It would seem that she has obviously forgotten since being elected that Townsville residents placed trust in her, a trust that it would seem, by all accounts, was misplaced.

Coralee O’Rourke you have been a great disappointment. JAMIE BRIANNON,

Wulguru. speak