Gladiator's Election Bid Targets Families
Illawarra Mercury
Thursday January 29, 2004
QUEENSLAND families were squarely in Peter Beattie's sights at Labor's state election campaign launch in Brisbane yesterday.
More than 700 party faithful, including federal Labor leader Mark Latham, gathered at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music to hear the Premier's pitch for a third term on February 7.
Mr Beattie entered the concert hall to the theme of blockbuster film Gladiator, after another ambitious blonde - pop star Sophie Monk - had the audience abuzz with two of her hits.
New announcements by the Premier, of extra nurses and doctors for hospital emergency departments, and a $127 million school maintenance plan, were carefully targeted at families.
``This week a new generation of Queenslanders begins school," Mr Beattie said.
``By the time they are old enough to vote, go to uni or take out a loan, I want them to inherit a Queensland that is different for all the best reasons.
``I want Queensland to be a place where education opens doors to opportunities, where everyone has equal access to health care and where ideas, innovation and hard work are encouraged and rewarded."
Mr Beattie took a leaf out the Coalition's book and promised first-home buyers would not pay stamp duty or mortgage duty on a home worth up to $250,000 from July 1.
A $34.5 million hospital emergency strategy would include extra senior nurses and doctors at the state's busiest hospitals and a 24-hour statewide hotline to provide access to health advice and information.
Four GP bulk-billing clinics would be funded near public hospitals in a trial to improve access to medical services.
Laws to protect the state's wild rivers from being dammed and a new mega-agency to manage urban planning in the south-east would ensure a balance between the economy and environment, he said.
Mr Beattie accused the Coalition of admitting it was not ready to govern and using stunts - such as Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg appearing in a newspaper half-naked - to disguise its lack of vision.
``Queensland needs a premier who rolls his sleeves up - not takes off his shirt," Mr Beattie said.
Mr Latham, introduced by former Play School host and state Labor MP Liddy Clark as ``the future PM", focused on education and health in his five-minute opening speech.
``We will work constructively with the states to further strengthen our schools," Mr Latham said. ``As prime minister I won't be sitting on the sidelines, a negative, whingeing, carping commentator taking pot-shots at government schools."
© 2004 Illawarra Mercury
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