QCOSS Annual Poverty Statement

[ozbob]

QCOSS click here!  External PDF

[ozbob]

Opposition Statement

480,000 living in poverty because of Labor's cost of living increases

Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Queenslanders are going without meals, unable to pay their bills on time and are struggling to afford second hand clothing – a reality of Labor's non-stop attack on household budgets, the State Opposition said today.

Shadow Minister for Community Services and Housing Fiona Simpson said the Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) Annual Poverty Statement released today showed household essentials including power, water, petrol, rego, bus and rail fares had risen faster than CPI in the past five years.

"Nearly half a million Queenslanders living in poverty was a shameful statistic of the Bligh Government's incessant cost of living increases," said Ms Simpson

"The Bligh Government's gross mismanagement of our State has meant Queenslanders are being hit at every turn from higher costs and our struggling economy is falling behind in jobs and financial benchmarks.

"Seniors and other Queenslanders on fixed incomes have been hit particularly hard by Labor's increases in household expenses.

"Worsening unemployment among women and our youth has delivered the shocking result - more than 480,000 Queenslanders are living in poverty."

Ms Simpson said despite Premier Bligh's promise that 'nobody would be worse off' under the Labor Government's electricity changes, power bills have spiralled up over 60 per cent and average home bills would rise by a further $118 this year.

"Queensland is now the most expensive state to own and operate a car," she said.

"Anna Bligh broke her promise not to introduce a new 9.2c litre fuel tax immediately following the last election resulting in Queenslanders paying an extra $2.4 billion over 4 years when they fill up their petrol tanks.

"Registration for the family car is going up another three per cent or $23 this year, and that's on top of the 24 per cent increase over the last three years.

"Driver's licences are also set to double from $73.70 to $152.50 for a five-year licence," she said.

Ms Simpson said it was no wonder QCOSS reported a massive jump in the need for community assistance, revealing community based support had increased by seven per cent in just one year.

There was also a six per cent increase in the number of people turned away from assistance and a 73 per cent increase in demand for financial services.

"Anna Bligh and Labor don't deserve another go – not this time," said Ms Simpson.

"Only the LNP will get the four pillar economy back on track and control government waste to assist Queenslander's cost of living.

"We have already announced our plan to save average Queensland families around $250 to $330 a year through reforms to electricity and water pricing, freezing family car rego for a term and scrapping Labor's $7000 stamp duty slug on the family home," she said.

[Stillwater]

Oh, and there is a bit missing from the media statement:

"To fund these things, the Opposition will rip $400 million from the the Sunshine Coast Regional Hospital, thereby threatening its completion date.  When Campbell Newman suggested that, I thought it was such a visionary plan.  We in the LNP realise there is only a finite number of ways to cut the fiscal cake.  I am always happy to volunteer my constituents as being inconvenienced as a reward for their loyalty to the party over many years.

"Gosh, even when I was asked how I would spend $1 billion on the Sunshine Coast, I had no idea what to say, even though I have been rabbiting on about CAMCOS and a 'stand-alone' section of rail track on the Coast as a bit of a hairbrain distraction at the last election.  I really don't know what to say this time around, until Campbell Newman gives me permission, and I am not sure the LNP will have a plausible transport policy in time for March 2012," Ms Simpson said.

See story here:
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/07/19/lnp-goes-quiet-on-hospital-price-cut/

And, note very carefully these words:
"An elected LNP Government will deliver what the Bligh Government has failed to deliver for the past six years – a new hospital for the Coast."

Yes, but when?  And will it be a scaled-down hospital to shave $400 million off its cost?

And don't all of Fiona's colleagues look excited when she announced this crock of s@*t last time around:
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2009/03/18/lnp-rail-plan-coast-disaster/

[colinw]

And don't all of Fiona's colleagues look excited when she announced this crock of s@*t last time around:
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2009/03/18/lnp-rail-plan-coast-disaster/

Um, isn't the current Government building exactly that on the Gold Coast?

Mind you, there are certain LNP members down that way who would happily axe the light rail.

Neither side have any credibility on transport matters (or much else ...)

[Stillwater]

Light rail on GC connects with heavy rail.  Ms Simpson's plan would have a bus connection between Landsborough and the start of her coast rail plan, at Caloundra.

[colinw]

No it doesn't. The 2nd stage to connect the Gold Coast Light Rail with the heavy rail is an unfunded promise dotted line on a map, just like Ms Simpsons Caloundra to Landsborough link.  Nothing is committed beyond the current stage 1 light rail. With the current dysfunction in QLD we could easily end up with a disconnected light rail system on the Gold Coast for an extended period of time.

http://goldcoastrapidtransit.qld.gov.au/faq/

Q. How will the rapid transit system integrate with existing public transport?

A. The rail line and the rapid transit system will be connected by high frequency bus services. There are also works underway to provide priority bus lanes to reduce travel times.

They're all as bad as each other, although Simpson's disconnected heavy rail line idea was particularly dopey.

[SurfRail]

With the current dysfunction in QLD we could easily end up with a disconnected light rail system on the Gold Coast for an extended period of time.

Although, to be fair, an "isolated" GCRT line is going to be a lot more viable in and of itself than isolated rail on the Sunny Coast.

[Stillwater]

Sunshine Coast residents are heartily sick of the false promises and set deadlines that come and go, mostly go.  It is a case of 'a pox on both your houses.'