Articles etc.

[SurfRail]

Brisbanetimes --> Labor brand plea: 'We're not toothpaste'

No - toothpaste and similar products generally work. 

[somebody]

What do you expect for an organisation which is largely dependant on unions for funding?

[Golliwog]

Brisbanetimes --> West End objections 'not a NIMBY issue'

Views of the Brisbane River at southern West End won't be blocked by 12-storey apartment buildings, Brisbane City Council says.

The council's statement followed an announcement yesterday by Premier Campbell Newman and Lord Mayor Graham Quirk that the South Brisbane Riverside Neighbourhood Plan would be resubmitted to the state government to allow 12-storey buildings to be constructed between Montague Road and the Brisbane River.

Currently, the building height limit is seven storeys.
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Meanwhile, West End residents have rejected accusations they are refusing to accept the need for higher-density living in the city.

West End Community Association chairman Darren Godwell said 96 per cent of the 5000 submissions to the neighbourhood plan supported medium-density living.

''This is not even a NIMBY issue. We had 96 per cent of those 5000 submissions supported six to eight storeys,'' he said.

''We have a whole neighbourhood here which says we want to see redevelopment, we want to see it primarily residential and we want to see it in this form.''

Brisbane City Council's Neighbourhood Planning chairwoman, Amanda Cooper, said under the plan a 12-storey building could be built only on a one-hectare piece of land.

She said there were about six locations where this was possible in a stretch of land bound by Montague Road and the river, south of Davies Park.

Cr Cooper said the intention of the plan was to modernise old industrial sites on the southern edge of the suburb.

''To clarify, it's 12 storeys on a site of one hectare minimum,'' Cr Cooper said.

''This is much bigger than a tin-and-timber house block.

''There are only about six sites in this precinct that can therefore accommodate buildings of this size - all industrial, which is the intention of the plan.''

Cr Cooper said the plan concentrated on redeveloping industrial land between Montague Road and the river and south of Davies Park.

The original neighbourhood plan contained this description: ''The precinct will accommodate predominantly medium to high density residential development, replacing obsolete industrial and warehouse uses.

''Small-scale retail and commercial uses integrated within new residential developments, servicing the local community, are permitted. One new supermarket with a gross floor area of up to 1,500m2 is supported.''

Brisbane City Council originally wanted to have 12-storey buildings in the area but it was rejected by the Labor state government.

Local residents say Brisbane City Council has not told them the truth.

Mr Godwell said locals felt ''deceived'' because the LNP had not revealed during the council election campaign they were considering raising building heights in the area.

Mr Godwell said the reason why the previous state government rejected the 12-storey limit was a lack of local infrastructure.

''There wasn't sufficient social infrastructure down there to support the population,'' he said.

''Three times the LNP have promised us traffic lights on Montague Road.''

The traffic light project was delayed in 2011 because of the need to find $400 million to pay for flood damage.

Mr Godwell said schools, aged care facilities, and health facilities were needed if the population increased.

''You have got to start thinking about how are you going to provide for the population that is going to live there,'' he said.

Brisbane City Council's Opposition Leader Milton Dick said he was disappointed higher density was being shifted into West End and called for more information from the Lord Mayor.

"I call on the Lord Mayor to release the detail of the deal he has struck with the Premier so residents can know the full impact on their ability to have a say about development in their local suburbs," he said.

Declaration: Tony Moore lives at West End

I do think they have a point there that we only just had a Council election, and there was no mention at all of changing this plan. I know their concerns are more than just transport infrastructure, but it's still a concern, and the BCC Opposition Leader does have a point that Quirk does need to release more details about the changes.

[Mr X]

Courier Mail -> The Courier-Mail/Santos GLNG Queensland Index finds Queenslanders are feeling positive about change in government

QUEENSLAND is on the crest of its greatest burst of optimism in years.

The Courier-Mail/Santos GLNG Queensland Index found that optimism is at its highest level in Queensland in more than four years, surpassed only by a spike in 2007 when Kevin Rudd came to power as Prime Minister.

And Queenslanders from Cape York to Coolangatta are feeling very positive about the change in government and the more prosperous nature of the state's finances.

The latest reading from The Courier-Mail/Santos GLNG Queensland Index - taken on behalf of the newspaper by Galaxy Research every three months since 2006 - has revealed a massive increase in the number of Queenslanders convinced the state is heading in the right direction.

According to the findings, 69 per cent of those surveyed believed the state was heading in the right direction, compared with 47 per cent in February before Campbell Newman led the LNP to a crushing state election win.

Those who believed Queensland was heading in the wrong direction dropped from 50 per cent to 22 per cent.

The net right direction of 47 per cent is fractionally lower than the 53 per cent when Mr Rudd was elected.

During Anna Bligh's reign and amid the global financial crisis, the index repeatedly dipped into negative territory.

Galaxy also found the LNP's primary support had jumped to 54 per cent, compared to just under 50 per cent at the March 24 election.

But, in a sign to Mr Newman that the optimism is yet to be underpinned by performance, most Queenslanders say they are yet to see any benefits from the mining boom.

A total of 57 per cent of people polled said they or their family had not benefited financially from the mining boom, with 38 per cent saying they had and five per cent being uncommitted.

While the Federal Government has focused on making voters feel they are getting more from the boom, the lack of effect of the boom remains a problem for political leaders.

But Mr Newman has earned massive goodwill from Queenslanders in the early months of his new job.

Surging support for Mr Newman and his Government comes amid high-profile cost cuts, including the axing of the Premier's Literary Awards and the demise of taxpayer-funded corporate boxes.

Mr Newman has also left the plush government jet in the hanger, taking commercial flights with normal passengers in an effort to help save the state's finances.

The poll indicates the Government has not received a backlash over its controversial decision to cut potentially thousands of public servants on temporary contracts.

After being reduced to seven MPs at the election, Labor's support has continued to freefall and is now at 23 per cent, mirroring the Gillard Government's Queensland support.

On a two-party preferred basis, the LNP leads 67 per cent to 33 per cent.

Much of the LNP's support can be directly linked to Mr Newman's personal popularity. The poll found 64 per cent of Queenslanders were satisfied with Mr Newman's performance, including one in three of Labor's dwindling number of supporters.

"This represents a record for any Queensland Premier in any Galaxy Poll in the last six years," Galaxy's David Briggs said.

Almost 40 per cent were satisfied with Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk's efforts, a creditable performance when compared to past opposition leaders facing a popular premier.

The poll of 800 Queenslanders taken late last week found Mr Newman was preferred premier 72 per cent to 15 per cent for Ms Palaszczuk.

However, it was not all smooth sailing for Mr Newman. While 60 per cent of people believed Mr Newman had lived up to expectations, about one in five voters was underwhelmed by his efforts so far.

With 7/89 state seats, a miserable result for Ray Smith as mayor and 5/24 council wards, the Labor party have a very long road ahead in Queensland. If another state election was held today they'd only be left with Woodridge and Inala.

[Golliwog]

IIRC, that last poll was only of 800 people...

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times click here!

MP furious with QR sale

MP furious with QR sale

2nd June 2012 5:00 AM

NEW Ipswich MP Ian Berry took aim at the Queensland Rail asset sale as "a bullet to the heart of Ipswich" when he delivered his maiden speech to parliament.

He said the unprecedented 20.7% swing against Labor came down to many failures, but the rail sale had most incurred "the wrath and fury of Ipswich voters".

"The sale of Queensland Rail was ... an attack on Ipswich's identity," he said.

"It was a betrayal of workers who believed that if they worked hard and remained loyal their jobs would be secured."

Mr Berry also paid tribute to emergency service workers who worked hard during last year's floods.

"The devastation caused by the 20011 flood was vast and sears on the memory of many Ipswich residents," he said.

"There are still councils and businesses in recovery mode.

"While Grantham and surrounding communities suffered disproportionately in terms of devastation and loss of life, Ipswich was not without its tragedies.

"To all families who have borne and continue to bear the tragedy of the floods, we shall never forget."

He concluded his speech by thanking various campaign helpers, including daughter Hayley, for teaching him how to wave and put up corflutes.

"She (Hayley) put our roadshow together," he said.

"She told me how to wave at cars... I did not realise there was an artful skill to... waving signs."

He admitted being a campaign newbie, and joked about Ray Martin pulling him up when he made "the rookie error of not having the signs facing towards oncoming traffic."

[SurfRail]

Pretty words indeed for a former president of the Queensland Law Society.

[colinw]

Not directly related to this year's election, but not sure where else it could go:

Brisbane Times -> Sell more assets, Costello recommends

June 15, 2012 - 10:52AM

Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls and former federal treasurer Peter Costello reveal the Commission of Audit's interim report into Queensland's finances.

Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls and former federal treasurer Peter Costello reveal the Commission of Audit's interim report into Queensland's finances. Photo: Bridie Jabour

More of Queensland's assets will have to be sold off to rein in the state's finances, a Commission of Audit headed up by former federal treasurer Peter Costello has recommended.

The report has also singled out the public service as a primary source of the state's financial woes.

Issued this morning, the Commission of Audit's Interim Report forecast a deficit of $6.634 billion for this year. The previous Labor government had forecast a deficit of $1.8 billion.
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According to the commission, the state government will have to find $3 billion of savings in the next three years.

Premier Campbell Newman ordered the Commission of Audit after winning the March election and appointed Mr Costello, Professor Sandra Harding and Dr Doug McTaggart to review the official books.

Using a different financial operating system from the previous government, the commission's expectation is debt will hit $100 billion by 2018-19 unless "immediate corrective action" is taken.

The report then goes in to say it cannot reach debt targets unless Queensland assets are sold off.

"This report outlines why this [reduction of debt by $25 to $30 billion by 2017-18] cannot be done through revenue and expenditure measures alone," the report said.

"It will require careful utilisation of the balance sheet and utilising the proceeds of asset sales to reduce debt."

Government-owned businesses mentioned in the report for possible sale in the future include Q-Fleet, Q-Build, Goprint, CITEC and Queensland Shared Services.

Further details on the proposed asset sales will be revealed in subsequent reports from the commission.

The report found the public service was a major factor in the budget blow-out.

It found over the 10 years from 2000-01 to 2010-11, employee expenses increased by 8.7 per cent with growth in employee numbers of about 3.5 per cent and wages growth of 5.2 per cent.

A 3 per cent cap on all public servant wage increases has been suggested in the report.

The interim report has also recommended tackling the debt in two stages.

The first stage is to stabilise the growth in debt and return the budget to surplus by 2014-15 - the same year the previous Labor government had forecast a return to surplus.

The second stage is to actively reduce the debt to restore Queensland's AAA rating. The report suggested some of Queensland's assets would have to be sold during this stage.

The government has previously promised to only sell assets if it had a mandate from the people. That would involve seeking support at a future election for such a proposal.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/sell-more-assets-costello-recommends-20120615-20e3f.html#ixzz1xovM9gWb

[ozbob]

See --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8525.msg100734#msg100734

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Hard Labor as party licks its election wounds