2009 State Election

[ozbob]

This board will be for posting railway/public transport policies, articles of relevance and discussion for the forthcoming state election.

Representatives of any political party, or independent candidates, are welcome to send information or links for posting on our forum to Admin Rail Back On Track at admin@backontrack.org  If it relates to rail and/or public transport initiatives and policy it will be considered for posting.

RAIL Back On Track has no particular political affiliations and treats all such material on its merits.
Please note our terms of service here --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?board=9.0



From the Courier Mail click here!

Labor's Anna Bligh likely to call election for March 28

Labor's Anna Bligh likely to call election for March 28
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Darrell Giles

February 15, 2009 12:00am

MARCH 28 is firming as the date Queenslanders will head to the polls, following approval of the Federal Government's $42 billion stimulus package and the end of threatened rail strikes.

Labor sources said Premier Anna Bligh had been set to call the election on Tuesday, but was concerned about public fallout from the rail strikes planned for tomorrow and Wednesday.

They said she also wanted confirmation from Canberra that the stimulus package would go through so the State Government would be in a position to spend Commonwealth money on infrastructure in the lead-up to a snap poll. Both obstacles were cleared on Friday.

But party sources said Ms Bligh, while still opting for a March 28 election, might delay calling it until March 1 or 2, to give her another sitting week in Parliament.

That would mean a minimum 26-day campaign, as opposed to the six-week showdown originally envisioned.

Ms Bligh refused to speculate yesterday, saying she was focused only on driving the Queensland economy through tough times.

In Maryborough on Friday, the Premier said her plans for the weekend were to spend time with her family.

"People can speculate about elections all they like," she said. "My first priority is jobs and looking after the economy of Queensland.

"We need stability, we need certainty and that is why I am getting on with the job."

Labor and Liberal National Party candidates have been in full election mode for the past month, while television, radio and newspaper advertising have been stepped up.

Sources said Ms Bligh had many reasons to go early - rising unemployment, depressing federal and state Budgets in May and June respectively, and a high-pressure ALP state conference in July.

Also, Ms Bligh is expected to be called as a witness when former Queensland minister Gordon Nuttall stands trial on corruption charges in June.

Cabinet ministers have been under the spotlight as the Opposition last week filed questions on notice relating to expenses, use of private aircraft, lobbyists and links to the business community.

The potentially embarrassing questions will not have to be answered if Ms Bligh calls an early election.

[ozbob]

Another sign ...

The Premier has just launched a web site -->  http://www.anna4qld.com.au/

Infrastructure and Services  --> http://www.anna4qld.com.au/annas-plan_infrastructure-and-services.aspx

[ozbob]

LNP Policies here --> http://www.springborg.com/policy/lawrence-policy/423.html

Transport --> http://www.springborg.com/policy/policy-page/transport.html

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Queensland poll speculatiion mounts on MPs retirements

Queensland poll speculatiion mounts on MPs retirements
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Steven Wardill

February 15, 2009 11:00pm

QUEENSLANDERS will head to the polls within weeks but the only person who knows when, Premier Anna Bligh, is keeping quiet about the exact date.
Another two retirements from Labor's caucus yesterday further fuelled speculation Ms Bligh plans to call the election early, possibly for March 28, rather than run full term.

Ms Bligh also launched a new website (anna4qld.com.au) which is devoid of any reference to the Labor Party and her Cabinet colleagues, a strategy aimed at exploiting her personal popularity.

However, Labor is set to suffer a major blow with the Greens considering a Just Vote 1 strategy because they believe the Government has failed on the environment.

The Greens are also considering strategic preference deals with the Liberal National Party in some seats, in a repeat of the 1995 election which cost Labor dearly.

Such a move would sacrifice Labor MPs in marginal seats but could also cost Greens MP Ronan Lee.

But Ms Bligh yesterday continued to claim she was not concerned about election dates as she spruiked her new website.

The Premier surrounded herself with young Labor acolytes wearing anna4qld T-shirts at trendy riverside eatery, Groove Train Cafe.

Ms Bligh said she would update the site daily so Queenslanders could be better informed about their premier.

"It is a site about me, it is a site about me as premier and me as someone who is putting myself forward in 2009 in the context of an election," Ms Bligh said.

But two Labor faces who won't be at the election are Townsville's Mike Reynolds and Greenslopes MP Gary Fenlon, bringing the total number of Labor MPs retiring to seven.

While Mr Reynolds will fall short of the 11 years required to qualify for the rich parliamentary pension, he is expected gain the payment on health grounds.

Mr Fenlon has already qualified but leaves as a Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation continues into a company with which he has intimate links.

Ms Bligh described Mr Reynold's contribution as "extraordinary".

"The Townsville that Mike will be retiring from is a remarkably different place to the Townsville that he became mayor of many, many years ago,"she said.

But Ms Bligh was more reserved about Mr Fenlon, saying he had been through the "ups and downs" of politics.

She said other MPs were also considering their positions and urged them to quickly make a decision soon so Labor could put candidates in the field.

[SteelPan]

I carry no torch for Anna & Co, but I must say the Borg gives me no inspiration - his transport policies are as gimmicky as they are cheap.  Say $500m over four years - mate, that's chook feed, the trains are packed now, I reckon 7 car trains are an expensive "no fix".  We need MORE RAIL.  Lawrence, stop dancing 'round the fire and COMMIT to some serious rail expansion.

[stephenk]

I carry no torch for Anna & Co, but I must say the Borg gives me no inspiration - his transport policies are as gimmicky as they are cheap.  Say $500m over four years - mate, that's chook feed, the trains are packed now, I reckon 7 car trains are an expensive "no fix".  We need MORE RAIL.  Lawrence, stop dancing 'round the fire and COMMIT to some serious rail expansion.

The Borg's 7 car idea is totally pointless. The selective door opening will increase dwell times. Slower acceleration & longer train length will reduce platform reoccupation times. This will result in no overall capacity improvement.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Anna Bligh calls election for March 21

Anna Bligh calls election for March 21
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Rosemary Odgers and Steven Wardill

February 23, 2009 10:27am

PREMIER Anna Bligh is on her way to the first press conference of the 2009 election campaign after formally asking Governor Penny Wensley to dissolve Parliament.

She visited the Governor at 11am to advise her she was calling a general election for March 21

As she left Government House to return to the Executive Building for a noon press conference, Ms Bligh said the decision to go to the polls was a "very important decision  for Queensland".

Ms Bligh has repeatedly stated she intended to go full term ? which would have meant an election in September.

But speculation has been growing that she would instead go early after Labor began airing attack ads against Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, rushed to fill vacancies caused by retiring MPs, the Premier launched a new website and tried to put a lid on damaging electoral issues including furore over the new Queensland Children's Hospital.

Labor currently holds 58 of the 89 seats in Parliament, the Liberal National Party holds 25, there is one MP from both the Greens and One Nation and four Independents.

To take power, the LNP needs to win an extra 21 seats because Stuart Copeland's seat of Cunningham has been scrapped in the recent redistribution.

It will be LNP Leader Lawrence Springborg's third attempt at becoming Premier, while if Labor retains power, Ms Bligh will become Australia's first female premier to be elected by the people after she inherited the job from Peter Beattie 17 months ago.

Calling the election today will result in a 27-day campaign, one day longer than the usual minimum 26-day campaign favoured by her predecessor.

[ozbob]

Representatives of any political party, or independent candidates, are welcome to send information or links for posting on our forum to Admin Rail Back On Track at admin@backontrack.org  If it relates to rail and/or public transport initiatives and policy it will be considered for posting.

RAIL Back On Track has no particular political affiliations and treats all such material on its merits.
Please note our terms of service here --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?board=9.0