This is notable for two reasons.
- We are yet to see the Premier, any member of the cabinet, or even one of our local members go to the same effort
- Annastacia was there to really listen to people's ideas and their concerns
It was a sizable group who were there representing a broad cross-section of the community, with a wide range of concerns. This included concerns for our hospitals and health workers, concerns for our schools and education staff, concerns for the pace of development and the environmental impacts, anger that there has been no consultation and precious little communication about substantial changes to State services, the lack of job security, the gagging of public servants, the removal of access to civil unions, the lack of action on Gonski and and DisabilityCare, and the list goes on.
What was clearly highlighted was how unaccountable the Newman government is, and how little interest they are showing in the wishes of Queenslanders.
The LNP did have an emphatic election victory.
They didn't get a mandate to sell public assets, to sack workers, or outsource services.
They didn't inform the electorate of their true intentions prior to the election.
The bottom line is that the Newman government aren't representing our interests, in part because they haven't bothered to ask what we want. I'd even go so far as to say.. they don't really care.
Annastacia highlighted two things about the current state of politics in Queensland:
- the opposition's numbers are very small and there is a limit to what can be done inside parliament
- real power still lies with the people of Queensland, and we need to keep doing all we can to exercise that power
Annastacia has never seen so many petitions delivered to Parliament. And she believes it will have an effect as long as they continue rolling in.
Queensland has never had a Premier whose approval has nosedived so quickly and so steeply. Despite a big majority and despite the length of time to the next State election, Campbell Newman is very vulnerable.
We have seen a series of State LNP Premiers removed (and Campbell may be next). It is a Federal election year and the biggest threat to a future Abbott government in the mind of the LNP is Campbell Newman.
The fight to reclaim Queensland for Queenslanders can start now. And each and every one of us can help by:
- Signing every petition that you support (on paper or Online)
- Contacting your local member, writing a letter to the Bulletin and having your voice heard
- Joining Labor's Federal campaign to win back the seat of Herbert
- Coming to the next town hall meeting and speaking your mind
- Contacting your local school and letting them know that you want to help them make sure Newman will not shut their doors.
- Adding your comments below
Just be heard one way or another... Newman is hard of hearing, but he's not deaf.