Anna Bligh has called a Queensland election for March 21. My most recent coverage of recent Queensland state politics action is here: more to follow in due course.
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Queensland election: March 21
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Just seen Ackerman on Skynews talking about “The Borg”. Was asked by interviewer if Borg will make a good premier. Ackers, sideswiped the question and said he has lots of experience. This will be the 3rd time Springborg will have run and is a thick as two planks. In this case “The Borg” acts exactly like he sounds.
Sorry about mutiple thread comments.
Did you throw up?
I must admit, regardless of the exact words Bligh used, she did refer to serving a full tem and now won’t. Defending the exact words used starts to look like Howard’s pedantic distinctions over the wording of promises made and broken. The point is, the only logical reason to go early is if you believe the news will get worse. That isn’t a good look.
Ah yes, the Borg. I had forgotten about The Leader of the Pinneapple party. It would be interesting to ask him how he would eliminate Queensland’s budget deficit.
So what was the last set of poll numbers in Qld?
Dario, the last poll was good for Bligh but was long enough ago to be worthless now.
Dario:
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2009/02/23/qld-election-watch-day-122/
Dario, Poss has some numbers. Its been since Dec that the last polling was done, but I expect new polling out this week/end.
No.3 Several times. lol
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2009/02/23/qld-election-watch-day-122/
8 SNAP
For those who know Queensland politics – does the coalition/Pinneapple Party have anyone credible to put up as treasurer if they win? Its one thing to have a Joh-clone premier figure, but my recollection is that, even in the Joh era, the Nats/Libs had people like Dr Llew Edwards to run Treasury and he actually had some brains. Given the current climate the ability to manage the treasury will be a real issue.
You have to say that Anna Blight looks folksy and confident during her press conference.
Socrates,
Bruce Flegg would have had the capability – but he left!
The rest of the old Libs are pretty shallow, and there’s not much gravitas out in the agrarian socialist wing.
Labor’s internal polling must have shown they are in good shape you would think. Bligh didn’t come across as a person in political trouble that is for sure. I agree Finns (12).
Centrebet
Labor 1.57
LNP 2.35
Diog asked in a previous threat about the Brisbane Hospital stuff.
Before the last election the ALP went to the electorate with a policy to combine the two existing children’s hopitals into one, new, purpose built facility – this hospital is under contruction.
Nobody opposes this, not even the LNP.
ruawake
I saw that about there being a “furore” about the Qld Childrens Hospital in the Courier Mail. I’ll remember to ignore them in future. Is one of your children’s hospitals combined with an adult one or are they stand-alone? Two stand-alone childrens hospitals would be insanity.
“Mr Springborg said while the LNP would return the budget to surplus, it would also improve services and fix infrastructure, specifically in the areas of transport and health.”
Yes and pecaries may levitate.
Diog
The new childrens hospital is being built next to the Mater Hospital in Sth Brisbane. The LNP have been saying that if your child is sick and you live in Nth Brisbane you will need to go to the new kids hospital. Of course this is crud – you go to the nearest emergency dept.
The pediatric specialists even got to tell the architects of the new kids hospital what they need.
Of course the LNP are now saying that Labor closed the Royal Childrens Hospital – they miss the fact that there will be 450 extra beds at the new hospital.
How are they going to achieve that with $ 70 Billion of unfunded promises to add onto the deficit. Has Springborg become a magician?
steve
The same way that reducing payroll tax (at a cost of $50 million) will not really cost anything because business will suddenly use this money to employ people (to do what?) and thus with the extra staff, pay the same amount of payroll tax.
Maybe it will make the whole Public Service denecessary and just wave the Nation Party magic wand to run the state. Then they could always repeat the infrastructure freeze we saw from them last time they were in Government.
I read that Pauline Hanson was running yet again! Does anyone know?
Raxanna, she said she’ll tell us in a month or so.
ruawake
From my experience of our Children’s Hospital, it’s much better to have the Childrens Hospital with the adult hospital, as you seem to be planning. Childrens hospitals tend to be very small and sacred cows which are way behind the times. Co-locating with an adult hospital is the way to go.
I hope Newspoll gets their act together to release their first election campaign poll soon. The last poll taken was the October-December 2008 poll, 57-43 Labor’s way. And with optional preference voting, it’s worth noting the primaries of 45 ALP, 37 LNP, 8 Grn.
Springborg is on ABC radio prattling on about new trains being put on the tracks by the National Party and people will be able to sit down on seats instead of standing. Is this the sort of spending that is going to put the budget back into surplus. The more you spend the more you save according to this National Party genius.
VERE ARE ZE POLLS?
I expect Galaxy will release a poll soon, showing the LNP in front.
Exactly, even if you believe the Bligh Government is a dud (to use a phrase that dominated the 07 campaign) this election will be about leadership. While Bligh could use more help in that department ‘the Borg’ has none and thats why the Government will be returned with a reduced majority.
Ryan, the polls are here:
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2009/02/23/qld-election-watch-day-122/
Hope you’ve got the sunnies on.
Maybe this will give you hope, Ryan.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2009/02/23/qld-election-march-21/
[pecaries may levitate] Ruawake #18
Giant South American rodents may fly? Did you mean to say “Suidae may levitate”?
or was it a particularly clever and obscure jape referencing rodents generally, and Rattus nonveritas by inference, to the mud-grubbing, feaces-swilling, winged monkey pineapple bombers of the LNP… sorry, teh NATIONALS?
If the LNP lose the election will Springborg be given another chance? I remember reading something from an LNP supporter saying that since this would technically be his first loss as LNP leader he should be given another chance in the case they lose.
Sticking with “conventional wisdom” eh sunnycoaster?
The last two elections the Labor party has gone to the polls in the face of a “Crisis” last one the Bundaberg Hospital, the one before “vote rigging”.
Have you considered that people may actually like Capt. Bligh? and that the last election was a low point for labor?
Every election Springborg loses is someone else’s fault Ltep so I’d expect him to shrug off a loss, point meaningfully at McArdle and Nicholls and do it all again next time.
#35 Conventional wisdom is just that for a reason ruawake. Living in LNP territory very few of my non ALP friends and colleagues have nice things to say about the Captain. However when you talk policy basics with them (the fact that the ALP has some, the LNP none) things change quickly.
When Mr Springborg loses the election he will go back to his “farm”. Where he will wait until the LNP disembowels itself.
Then he will rise phoenix like to once again reunite the fragments – and the twits at LNP central will hail the great leader.
sunnycoaster
Do you live “on top” at Buderim? Just askin’
sunnycoaster
The only “evidence” we have is the Dec newspoll which showed a 2% swing to Labor. There may well be polls that prove this incorrect in the future.
But to say at this time that Labor will be re-elected with a reduced margin is pure guess work.
Not quite, but close enough, in private school territory. In fact my Dad is a tory and principal of one of them.
The serious polls obviously begin now. I don’t give credence to those taken previously.
sunnycoaster
The only thing that can be taken from the previous polls is that there is no mood in the electorate to change the Govt.
It is entirely possible that there will be a 1-2% swing to the Govt. In fact this is my expectation.
I think the margin will remain unchanged in terms of % but some metro Bris seats will be lost, while the seats we talked about on the SC will be gained. I’m thinking an ALP victory by 20 seats.
Well the Nationals have managed to get through day one by keeping McArdle and Nicholls hidden but how long can this last?
Who will be the first loose canon to break ranks with the LNP ?
ruawake, it might be the National candidate for Mulgrave,who might go back to the Village People where he played the part of a London Bobby.
J Bjelke Petersen to run again, wonder what ministry they would give him if the LNP got in.
LNP not without a chance, should be a 5% swing, which is what is estimated Work Choices was worth to the state governments when Howard was in power. Any addition to that could come from cynicism over the early election and health, the Patel trial is still running. Set off against the lack of policies and leadership from the LNP.
Any more news on Pauline?
If Bligh wins, I doubt she’ll serve a full term. She will probably hand over to the treasurer at some point.
Bligh will do the same as Beattie serve two terms – then hand over to Andrew Fraser who is being groomed as the next Premier.
Fraser will do the same – then hand over to his pick.
I am sure the Liberal Party will eventually win Govt. in Qld. but it may be 20+ years away.
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