ARE MORE ASSET SALES ON THE WAY???

LNP Leaves Door Open to Asset Sales

 May 2011

Queensland Party Leader, Aidan McLindon, has put the ALP and LNP on notice in the Mackay Regional Sitting of State Parliament today that asset sales will continue to be an issue in the lead up to the next state election.

“Premier Bligh responded to my question in Parliament today regarding new asset sales stating that her government has ended its program of sell-offs. I thank the Premier for her response but will leave it up to ordinary Queenslanders to determine the credibility of her answer.”

“It’s concerning the LNP are already flagging new sell-offs given 85% of Queenslanders were against the last fire sale.”

“It’s now time for Mr Newman to outline the LNP’s position. His continued silence after alluding to the possibility of further privatisation of state assets can only be seen as the LNP leaving the door open to another round of sales.”

“It’s no secret that one of the LNP’s key policy platforms is the privatisation of the states assets which was one of the reasons I left the LNP to form The Queensland Party.”

Today, in her response to my question, the Premier stated:

“We undertook a very rigorous examination and everyone knows the outcome of it. What I do know is that the new leader of the LNP has identified that there is room for more sell-offs including, and I use his words, ‘the remaining coal terminals and outsourcing the electricity power grid’. I can guarantee that Labor has done its program. We have made that public and we have achieved it. I cannot guarantee for the member for Beaudesert what will happen with this mob.”

SUGARWORLD RE-DEVELOPMENT

Great news to hear the Sugarworld re-development is progressing well. This is a fantastic outcome. While out and about talking to kids and youth in the area recently about boredom related crime the one thing that THEY kept bringing up as an issue/venue that would have an impact was Sugarworld. I was surprised by the number and cross section of these kids that believed this would make a difference and something they would use.
The other pleasing aspect is the consultation undertaken and the fact that the managers/lessee have listened to what people want.
And to add to the benefits that the re-opening will have for locals, families and tourists a local contractor has been given the job. Win, win win.
What a good news story for our area and congratulations should go to all involved. 

The Cairns Post story can be read in full at http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2011/05/25/165875_local-news.html

PRISONER RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS LEGISLATIVE FLAWS

The recent release of a serial violent sex offender back on to the streets of Cairns demonstrates the flaws in the governments soft on crime approach.

It is absolutely beyond belief that a prisoner deemed a serious risk of re-offending has been released back on to our streets to strike again. This highlights the problems with our current legislation and procedures for granting parole. This is yet another example of why as the Queensland Party Candidate for Cairns I am calling for legislative change and an urgent review of our parole processes.

The latest example is where a local man was released from prison despite a government attempt to have him kept in custody indefinitely after having appeared in court 17 times, a number of times for vicious and savage sexual assaults on innocent and unsuspecting women. It was also revealed that despite completing sex offender courses whilst in custody he committed a further sex related offence in prison towards another inmate.

The treating doctors indicated this person poses a ‘high risk of re-offending, both sexually and violently’. Shouldn’t this be the overriding criteria on what a serious violent sex offender’s release should be based?”

Exactly what criteria has to be applied that such a diagnosis and assessment is not sufficient to keep someone in custody? They are clearly not rehabilitated and pose a real and significant risk to the people of our community. The doctors then go on to say this risk could be reduced with appropriate supervision.  This shows the doctors have no idea of what services are really available to Corrective Services. We have seen over and over again what happens when these prisoners breach these supervision orders. Zero. Nothing. We have had serial sex offenders on orders breaching orders going to nudie bars with no consequences. They are released to the community again to prey on the vulnerable members of our community.

Some figures even suggest that of the 81 offenders on supervision orders 53 breached them last year alone. More than half of these offenders breached their orders last year with about 150 breaches recorded.

The courts are restrained by the governments’ lack of will to address the legislative measures that could quite easily close these loopholes to ensure that serial violent sex offenders are rehabilitated or not given the opportunity to re-offend until they are. Their soft on crime and revolving prison door policies are placing the members of our community in danger.

I call on the government to have the courage to make the legislative change required and stop hiding behind decisions made by judges who have no choice due to the governments flawed legislation. An urgent review of parole procedures and process is required and this includes the allocation of funding for rehabilitation programs to Corrective Services. It is time for the government to stop the spin doctoring and chest beating and take some real legislative action to fix these loopholes and protect our community.

ALP BEHOLDEN TO CANBERRA PUPPET MASTERS TO QUEENSLAND’S DETRIMENT

The Premier needs to put the people of Queensland first after revelations that the Premier is not prepared to back the carbon tax in it's current form due to a lack of detail.

Premier Bligh, as the name suggests, is the Premier of Queensland. In that capacity she must put the people of Queensland first. That is her job and that is what she is paid to do. However, she is also the President of the ALP which means she should have some form of power to ensure that Queensland is not hurt by any carbon tax proposal the ALP launches.

To come out and say that she does not have sufficient detail on the current carbon tax demonstrates that she is concerned that this is a bad deal for Queensland and it will have far reaching effects. It also demonstrates that she is unable, even as the President of the ALP, to wield any influence over the faceless men running the party or to gain an understanding of this policy.

The Premier needs to stop sitting on the fence. She needs to stand up for Queensland as its Premier and she also needs to start influencing the party to ensure that Queensland is not impacted by federal legislation.

Professor Bob Carter conducting information sessions around the Far North has indicated this tax could have negative impactas on Queenslanders by $2,000 per year in extra living costs alone. This does not take into account the potential loss of business and jobs this flawed tax could have when the other major polluters of the world are not imposing a similar impost on their national production. It is hardly a level playing field.

Unfortunately, she is probably going to toe the party line, regardless of the impacts for the people of Queensland. If the faceless men in Canberra say it is going to happen, she will come out and support it. Look at the ridiculous first health deal she signed up for, sacrificing over one third of Queensland’s GST revenue. That was a poor deal and she still took it because she put ALP needs in front of the state of Queensland.

This is the problem with political parties that have to answer to party machines in Canberra, instead of local representation. The Queensland Party is the only registered Queensland-based political party. This means we can put the needs of Queensland first and foremost, just as our Parliament is supposed to and the Premier’s response to this issue shows why it is time for change to give the people of Queensland a real voice in parliament.

CONSULTATION FARCE EXPOSED

After attending the community consultation meeting at Cairns Regional Council on the Cairns CBD Master Plan and the Cairns Transit Network, I was left absolutely dumbfounded when the process used in the so called community consultation was revealed.
We got to hear firsthand that the Department of Transport had based all their decision making and claims of community consultation and support by providing only one option for the people of Cairns to consider. No other option was ever put to the people of Cairns.

These bureaucrats took it upon themselves to decide for the people of Cairns that only one option should be provided for consideration. There are a number of other options available without ripping up City Place, yet bureaucrats decided these other options would not be considered or even put to the people of Cairns. All the claims in the reports, submissions and media releases etc that people supported the current option have been shown to be a farce. The local and state governments have made subsequent decisions based on the information provided to them, which has now been shown to be seriously flawed.

These people further tried to insult our intelligence by saying the community supported this option because if they didn’t people would have protested against it. This shows they just don’t get it. The consultation was a farce. People couldn’t protest about it, because they didn’t know about it. Claims to the Council and State government that this was the preferred and supported option, were not giving the full picture and were misleading.

I am sick to death of out of town bureacrats treating the people of Cairns and FNQ like a bunch of country yokels that don't have a brain in their head, incapable of making informed decisions. These people made representation to the council and government that the bus route through Cairns City Place was the preferred option supported by the people of Cairns. This was clearly misleading as these bureacrats already decided without putting other options to the people of Cairns and that is a disgrace.

We need urgent action from our current elected local Members of Parliament and the Transport Minister to step in and review this farce.

WHAT NOW FOR OFFENDERS?

The Far North police have once again shown why they are amongst the best in the country rounding up the offenders responsible for the assault at Cairns Central within a very short time frame. I have been critical of the name calling and racial overtones of some when commenting on this issue and will continue to do so. It is unnecessary and deflects attention away from the real issues.
That being said it is now time for the people of Cairns to be told exactly what the punishment is for these offenders. Their privacy under our laws needs to be protected so they should not be named, but the people of Cairns deserve to hear what happens next.
We often see in the press the comment "the offender/s will now be dealt with under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act".
My question for the people of Cairns is do you know exactly what that means?
Are you satisfied that the response is adequate for the behaviour and crime committed?
I think if people knew they might be calling for legislative change, especially for repeat and serial offenders.

Kids make mistakes and need guidance and one mistake should not destroy the rest of their life for a minor indiscretion.That was the 'spirit' of our legislation when it was introduced.
But this has been taken to the extreme in a social experiment by the government that has horribly backfired. There has to be some distinction between a kid who shoplifts a packet of chewing gum and someone involved in sexual assault and robbery with violence.
The people deserve to hear exactly what sentence is handed out for offenders in Children's Court so that they can determine if the penalties in place under our legislation are meeting community expectations and take action if they are not.
We need to address the other issues in a holistic manner but ensuring that we have an effective law and order policy in place is the first step to bringing about change.