Let’s think about and discuss the policies all the local candidates are coming to the next election with. Check them out. What do they mean for us locally? Do they seem feasible? Are they good or bad policy? What is behind them? Who benefits? Who pays?
LNP State election handouts have the following policies (some relevant to us locally some not) – references to Labor omitted (…):
Fighting For Queensland’s Share:Opposition to … taxes on our mineral resources:
[ul]Supporting our world class mining and resources industry which provide jobs and economic opportunities to generations of Queenslanders
Ensuring that Queensland benefits from its resources by getting a fair share of the federally funded road and infrastucture budget
Intervene and support Queenslanders if there is a High Court challenge to … Minerals Resource Rent Tax
Oppose the Carbon Tax
Fight for an increase in federally funded road and infrastructure for Queensland.[/ul]
Cost of Living: Carbon Tax:
[ul]Opposing the Carbon Tax fighting for Queensland on this issue
Oppose … Carbon Tax[/ul]
Cost of living: water prices
[ul]Planning properly for Queensland’s future water needs and creating a sustainable water supply that caters for population increases and meets the needs of households industry and agriculture
Increasing efficiency in water delivery from the grid to the household while maintaining a responsible approach to water use and waste
Amalgamate the five bulk water entities into one entity to reduce the cost of supplying water
Hand back control of water to local government…
Write off non-performing water grid assets to reduce sharp price rises
Adopt a 40 year price path to repay the … $7 billion water grid debt over the economic life of the assets which will also reduce the cost of water[/ul]
Cost of living: electricity
[ul]Keeping costs of power down through better management and tariff systems
Opposing the Federal Labor Government’s proposed carbon tax…
Act to address Queensland’s rising household energy bills and immediately freeze the standard domestic tariff (Tariff 11) providing savings of around $120 a year on power bills …
Abolish the current electricity retail system that allows retailers to charge Queenslanders more if they use less power (the so-called BRCI)
Abolish … Ambulance Tax (included in electricity bills) which will save Queenslanders another $114 a year on power bills
Work with the electricity industry to pursue optional initiatives to give customers an incentive to reduce electricity consumption including possibly introducing a lower Tariff 11 economy rate for households who install a range of appliances to interruptible power supply devices.[/ul]
A Safer Queensland: School Safety Zones:
[ul]Improving the safety of children near schools by combating the surge in speeding through school zones
Stopping people speeding through school zones in the first place
Spend $10 million over four years to improve the visibility of speed limit signs in school zones
Install flashing speed limit signs outside around 75 Queensland schools
Give priority to schoools with a significant crash history a high level of car and pedestrian traffic higher speed limits or visibility problems.[/ul]
A Safer Queensland: Community Safety
[ul]Ensuring Queensland is a safe place to live by providing an effective justice system and a professional police service that people have confidence in
Maintaining our strong record on dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour by tackling the causes of crime providing an effective justice system and delivering matching rehabilitation programs
Modernise and reform our laws so that sentences match community expectations while respecting the independence of the judiciary. This includes:
[ul]Increasing the mandatory sentencing for murder to 20 years with no parole
Establishing a new mandatory sentence for murder of a police officer of 25 years with no parole
Increasing the mandatory sentence for multiple murder to 30 years with no parole
Doubling the maximum penalty for serious assault on a police officer from 7 to 14 years[/ul]
Establish an additional permanent major crime squad on the Gold Coast Queensland’s second largest city (Delivered)
Introduce modern GPS tracking of released dangerous sex offenders (Delivered)
Take a hardline to drug traffickers and drug dealers who target our children.[/ul]
Health: Building Better Services:
[ul]Ensuring Queenslanders have access to a world class hospital and health system
Making sure our investments in health are delivered on time and on budget
Returning control of health services to local clinicians and communities
Improving transparency to give Queenslanders the true picture of our health system
Deliver the Sunshine Coast University Hospital ealier and more cost-effectively…
Employ more doctors and nurses and cut the waste in our health system
Improve access to emergency treatment on time
Pay our health professionals the right amount at the right time
Reduce rates of chronic disease in the community by investing in health awareness and prevention campaigns[/ul]
Building Queensland: Planning major projects properly
[ul]Planning major projects properly
Identifying rail crossings requiring upgraded arrangements for traffic flow while improving rail traffic
In its first term of government build a flyover each at Telegraph Road Bracken Ridge and Robinson Road Geebung and
Work with the Brisbane City Council to build these flyovers.[/ul]
Planning and Reinstating the Role of the Coordinator-General:
[ul]Undertaking government planning responsibilities for all Queensland in consultation with mining companies agricultural and related industries and local communities
Planning and facilitating projects to ensure the most cost effective and appropriate infrastructure arrangements are made taking account of all parties’ interests
Focusing on a cooperative approach in identifying what’s best for local communities landholders mining and associated companies and Queensland overall
Restore the Coordinator General’s power and authority to properly coordinate and facilitate major projects to deliver the best possible outcomes for all Queenslanders
Do everything possible to ensure that resource projects in the Galilee Basin use a common rail easement to minimise costs and impacts on affected landholders.[/ul]