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Poll Call: LNP rejects jobs report as Labor slams Palmer on attack ads

The LNP has rejected a report indicating its surplus policy would lead to job losses, while Labor has slammed Clive Palmer over attack ads he's running on social media.

Stuart Layt
Updated ,first published

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Pinned post from 12.37pm on Oct 16, 2020
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Analysis: Frecklington picks up media attention in a bumpy week

By Stuart Layt

Be careful what you wish for - Deb Frecklington has overtaken Annastacia Palaszczuk in the overall share of media coverage, but it was because her week on the campaign was dogged by scandals.

The data, compiled by media analytics company Streem for Brisbane Times, looks at the number of times the respective leaders are mentioned across media, and then compares their "share of voice".

That measures the percentage of the total media coverage of the election snapped up by each candidate.

Compared to last week Ms Frecklington surged in the proportion of media reports featuring her, but it was due to a series of stories involving issues including developer donations and social media posts made by one of her candidates.

By the end of Thursday, the two leaders had settled back to about an equal 50-50 split of the coverage, suggesting any ripples from the coverage had mostly calmed down.

Getting your name out there during an election campaign can be worth enduring some scandal, and Ms Frecklington has likely seen some cut-through to voters on the days when her coverage dwarfed Premier Annastacia Palasczuk's.

But by the same token Ms Palaszczuk already has an established public profile, and having her opponent beaten up in the media for most of the week won't hurt her chances.

It all comes out in the wash, with the overall split of media coverage across the week working out to around 50 per cent each.

The topics coverage on week two of the state election campaign.

The number one topic mentioned in items about both leaders this week was coronavirus, while health also featured prominently.

Other top topics for Ms Palaszczuk were jobs, borders and the economy, while for Ms Frecklington it was the PM’s presence on the campaign, donations laws and law and order.

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Leaders stumble home after rocky ride in election campaign week two

By Stuart Layt

Another day, and another week down in the Queensland election campaign, which is now nearing the halfway point.

Deb Frecklington had a worse week but Annastacia Palaszczuk also struggled in week two of the Queensland election campaign.Jono Searle/Getty and Lydia Lynch

The LNP was hoping to regroup in Brisbane after a rocky week campaigning in the regions, facing numerous distractions from its messaging.

Despite being in a more built-up area, it still ran into a few political potholes, with a union-commissioned report showing its policy to return the budget to surplus would lead to unemployment skyrocketing.

The party strongly rejected the claims, saying it could reduce spending while not impacting jobs and growth, a plan Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed as “ambitious” while in Queensland this week.

She said, She said: the key quotes of day 11 of the election campaign

By Stuart Layt
"It is an honour and privilege, and I will continue to do that job as long as people of Queensland want me to do that job."
  • Annastacia Palaszczuk says she's focused on the job at hand when asked how she thinks Labor is tracking as the election campaign nears the halfway point.
"The first thing I'm going to do is get to work ... making sure we get Queenslanders working again."
  • Deb Frecklington when asked what her first task would be if she won office.

Tracking the Hard Hat Index on day 11

By Stuart Layt

Both leaders were in the high-vis on Friday while out on the hustings, however only the Premier donned a hard hat.

Ms Frecklington brandished a pallet of mangoes, but our analysis is they would provide scant cranial protection at best. They probably taste better, though. So a draw.

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Labor reannounces Caloundra pledge as it scratches for Sunshine Coast seats

By Toby Crockford

Less than one month after the Transport Minister released a statement crowing about the state government’s $35 million upgrade for the Bells Creek Arterial Road, the election media crews were taken to the middle of a dusty construction site to hear all about it again on Friday.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the Bells Creek Arterial Road reannouncement in Caloundra on Friday.Toby Crockford

The southern Bruce Highway connection is designed to cut travel times as part of the $300 million Caloundra South development.

“We expect there could be around 850 jobs because it also unlocks this whole area for more development and housing as well, which is absolutely vital as we see more and more people wanting to move here," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“For too long now, the LNP has taken the Sunshine Coast for granted.”

The LNP holds seven out of the eight state seats on the Sunshine Coast, with Labor targeting Glass House and Caloundra, which both have margins of about 3.4 per cent.

Ask a Reporter: How many seats could the Greens pick up?

By Cameron Atfield

During the campaign, Brisbane Times is running our Ask a Reporter feature, where we'll endeavour to answer all your questions about the campaign, big or small. All the answers can be found here.

Nick asks: How many seats could the Green Party win at the next election? I know there are a few tight races.

Brisbane Times PM editor Cameron Atfield answers: The Greens are often bullish about their chances, but I do know they are targeting three seats in particular — Maiwar, which is already held by the Greens, and the Labor-held South Brisbane and McConnel.

The Greens are targeting inner-city Brisbane seats.Glenn Hunt

As for their chances in those seats, I will defer to the experts.

Premier responds to ‘hard hat, lazy politics’ campaign accusations

By Toby Crockford

The Queensland Premier has rejected criticisms from a university expert that her election campaign is too focused on wheeling out the high-vis and hard hats for manufacturing and construction job announcements.

An expert has criticised the focus of the major parties on jobs in male-dominated sectors.

The accusations came from Griffith Gender Equality Research Network co-convenor Susan Harris Rimmer, who said both leaders needed to better support the thousands of women who had lost their jobs in the pandemic.

"Because they're in the kinds of industries that have been affected, like retail and hospitality, tourism, human services, creative arts and universities," Professor Harris Rimmer said.

"I'm really sick of seeing both female leaders in high-vis and hard hats. It's lazy politics and it doesn't make sense in this particular election, that's not where the jobs were lost under COVID."

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Morrison says he had no choice but to cancel national cabinet meeting

By Stuart Layt

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says there was no way to get back to Sydney in time to join the meeting of national cabinet after his plane broke down in Cairns last night.

The Prime Minister's plane reportedly suffered mechanical trouble in Cairns.Alex Ellinghausen

The meeting had to be postponed, however Mr Morrison then flew down to Sydney on another plane on Friday morning, raising questions as to why he couldn't have done that earlier.

Mr Morrison claims the logistics didn't work out.

"[The plane] arrived this morning and we got on it and flew back this morning," he said.

Labor promises $20 million for Sunshine Coast Stadium

By Toby Crockford

Labor will inject $20 million for stage one of the redevelopment of Sunshine Coast Stadium, if re-elected.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk visits the Sunshine Coast Stadium on Friday.Toby Crockford

The facelift will cost $68 million overall and increase the capacity and allow more events to be held at the stadium.

The ground has been home to NRL team Melbourne Storm since the season restarted, was home to the Raiders at the start of the year during raging bushfires in their home town of Canberra and hosted an Elton John concert earlier this year.

“Increasing the capacity of Sunshine Coast Stadium will mean more construction jobs and make the ground available for NRL, A-League and rugby union events and provide additional change rooms,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

Labor calls Palmer a 'liar' over social media attack ads

By Stuart Layt

Queensland Labor has strongly denied it is planning to introduce a death tax if elected, following an ad campaign from mining magnate-turned-political figure Clive Palmer.

Mr Palmer has been posting the ads on social media making the claims, prompting a strong rejection from Queensland Labor state secretary Julie-Ann Campbell.

Clive Palmer's ads claiming Labor will introduce a death tax have been branded lies by the party.Nine

“I wish to make clear that Mr Palmer’s claims are nothing more than barefaced, outrageous lies,” Ms Campbell said in a statement.

“The claims he and his party are making about the Palaszczuk government are lies, designed to trick Queenslanders and help elect Deb Frecklington.

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Frecklington rejects union-backed report showing LNP risk to jobs

By Lydia Lynch

Deb Frecklington has blasted a report suggesting an LNP government would have to cut thousands of public sector jobs to be able to deliver a budget surplus within four years.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington.Paul Harris

The economic report conducted by Per Capita, commissioned by the Together union, argued 29,000 public service jobs would need to be cut to turn the state’s $8 billion deficit into a surplus.

Ms Frecklington said it was an “absolute low rot” report.

“You would assume the members of these unions would much rather prefer unions to be concentrating on getting people back into work.

“Surely union money would be better spent advocating for jobs in Queensland.”

The LNP is yet to reveal how it plans to pay for its election commitments.

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