Bligh attacks LNP's 'lucky dip leadership'
The Liberal National Party (LNP) is expected to romp into government on March 24, but its campaign has been dogged by questions about leader Campbell Newman's financial affairs.
He made a pre-emptive strike before Labor's launch, declaring he would relinquish all financial interests and positions in private companies within 90 days of gaining office. Mr Newman maintains he has been clear about his relationships with the business of his wife's family and developers who donated to his re-election fund when he was Brisbane lord mayor.
He blames grubby Labor politics for the issue, but says he will take the step to remove any doubts from voters' minds. "This has been the dirtiest, most negative political campaign in Australia's history," Mr Newman told reporters. "I'm not going to be a sook about it. "But I'm going to demonstrate to Queenslanders what I'm prepared to do is give them total confidence that they can vote for me in Ashgrove and across the state."
On Mr Newman's own mind would be two polls in the past week that have him trailing in Ashgrove, the seat he must win from Labor MP Kate Jones in order to lead a LNP government. The party won't say who would be premier if not Mr Newman, a scenario Ms Bligh dubbed "lucky dip leadership" in her launch speech. "We know that this is a contest between me and Campbell Newman," she told about 600 party faithful in Brisbane. "But it's also between me and Jeff Seeney, and me and Lawrence Springborg, and me and Tim Nicholls. "For all we know, it's a competition between me and Bruce Flegg."
Labor's launch was a mostly feel-good affair with pop music, cute kids and balloons - a contrast to the businesslike LNP event last Sunday. Among the policies announced were gas royalties-funded scholarships for students to study in the Asia-Pacific. But about half of Ms Bligh's speech was devoted to attacking Mr Newman. "He wants to change us back to an old economy, when we aspired to be little more than a quarry and a beach," she said. "A time when cronies and mates got a rails run and the rest of us picked up the tab for it."
To up the ante on accountability, Labor announced its "crystal clear" policy, requiring the declaration of political donations above $1000 within 48 hours.
Earlier, Prime Minister Julia Gillard - who made her first appearance of the campaign - also painted Mr Newman as a threat, saying Queenslanders could choose to "leap ahead or languish".
Outside, Young LNP members protested against "Labor lies" and "Labor waste", but they were at the wrong entrance and were not seen by most media and guests.
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- From: Herald Sun
- March 11, 2012
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh speaking at the Labor campaign launch. Picture: Mark Calleja / Source: Quest Newspapers
QUEENSLAND Premier Anna Bligh has portrayed her election rival as a return to the bad old days, as he moved to sever doubts over his financial interests.
The Liberal National Party (LNP) is expected to romp into government on March 24, but its campaign has been dogged by questions about leader Campbell Newman's financial affairs.
He made a pre-emptive strike before Labor's launch, declaring he would relinquish all financial interests and positions in private companies within 90 days of gaining office. Mr Newman maintains he has been clear about his relationships with the business of his wife's family and developers who donated to his re-election fund when he was Brisbane lord mayor.
He blames grubby Labor politics for the issue, but says he will take the step to remove any doubts from voters' minds. "This has been the dirtiest, most negative political campaign in Australia's history," Mr Newman told reporters. "I'm not going to be a sook about it. "But I'm going to demonstrate to Queenslanders what I'm prepared to do is give them total confidence that they can vote for me in Ashgrove and across the state."
On Mr Newman's own mind would be two polls in the past week that have him trailing in Ashgrove, the seat he must win from Labor MP Kate Jones in order to lead a LNP government. The party won't say who would be premier if not Mr Newman, a scenario Ms Bligh dubbed "lucky dip leadership" in her launch speech. "We know that this is a contest between me and Campbell Newman," she told about 600 party faithful in Brisbane. "But it's also between me and Jeff Seeney, and me and Lawrence Springborg, and me and Tim Nicholls. "For all we know, it's a competition between me and Bruce Flegg."
Labor's launch was a mostly feel-good affair with pop music, cute kids and balloons - a contrast to the businesslike LNP event last Sunday. Among the policies announced were gas royalties-funded scholarships for students to study in the Asia-Pacific. But about half of Ms Bligh's speech was devoted to attacking Mr Newman. "He wants to change us back to an old economy, when we aspired to be little more than a quarry and a beach," she said. "A time when cronies and mates got a rails run and the rest of us picked up the tab for it."
To up the ante on accountability, Labor announced its "crystal clear" policy, requiring the declaration of political donations above $1000 within 48 hours.
Earlier, Prime Minister Julia Gillard - who made her first appearance of the campaign - also painted Mr Newman as a threat, saying Queenslanders could choose to "leap ahead or languish".
Outside, Young LNP members protested against "Labor lies" and "Labor waste", but they were at the wrong entrance and were not seen by most media and guests.
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