I went to Brisbane (via Gold Coast Airport + drove up in a rental car) today for a day trip. The highlight was seeing this massive semi-trailer on the Gateway Motorway with a HUGE digital billboard on the back saying ‘Stuck in traffic? Blame Labor’ or something like that. The sight of it was just absurd.
Is road traffic literally the only issue for the state there? I was listening to the car radio and looking at billboards, and that was the only thing I saw on election advertising.
It was weird to see that the Gold Coast, with a population of 1 million people and obviously better planned roads than Sydney, somehow had traffic that was just as bad as Sydney. Especially that Pacific Motorway. Eight lanes (which is usually the maximum you’ll ever see on a highway like that) is totally incapable of providing a free flow. Adding extra lanes or duplicating the motorway would just add a bottleneck somewhere else down the line (like that shocker where the old Gateway and new Gateway Motorways merge and diverge). A public transport option would be a far better idea.
It’s pretty much the only thing the LNP are talking about. They want to build a second M1 between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
I’m much more supportive of public transport being upgraded between the Gold Coast and Brisbane instead. The GC already has a fantastic light rail service.
The biggest thing from the Queensland election has been that One Nation has done it again.
Both the WA and now the Queensland state elections were demonstrating a strong result leading up to polling day for One Nation, and then voting takes place and 1N ends up with nothing or very little to show. No seats in WA and I think they’re only heading for one or two seats in Queensland. Earlier predictions were forecasting a potential of nine seats.
If QLD had a proportionally elected upper house like most other states do, they’d have considerably more power than they do now. The same for The Greens and other smaller parties.
Officially finished with LAB 48, LNP 39, KAP 3, ONP 1, GRN 1, IND 1. In essence now the Labor Party now has to perform after in a way being accidentally voted in for their first term.
A lot of people say this but Labor’s first term was quite busy. They basically had to reset the state after Newman cut too deep into the public service, and by all accounts it worked (we don’t hear much about the state of Queensland health compared to ten years ago). None of this was particularly glamorous so few people realised but they did a shitton of reform.
Personally I think it’s great that they’ve got a majority now. By 2020 Crossriver Rail will be almost finished and having a majority government means that Labor can start taking greater risks with more policies.
The Tasmanian State Election is due in March and I was expecting that Labor would have a reasonably comfortable win with Will Hodgman’s government on the nose quite a bit with Health and Education in particular and Labor’s Rebecca White having become the popular choice for the top job after becoming party leader earlier this year.
However, some interesting policies are likely to change things. Tasmanian high schools currently go from years 7 to 10 with Colleges in place in the larger centres (Hobart x 4, Launceston x2 and Burnie and Devonport) for years 11 and 12. The Liberals have extended some schools since forming government to extend them to years 11 and 12 and have now promised to roll this out to all schools if they win. They claim they won’t be closing the colleges however it’s hard to see them being viable if the schools are now offering those classes, although not all schools will be able to offer the full suite of classes and experiences that the colleges offered. Opinions are divided on this one.
An interesting Labor policy today though which could very easily backfire is the removal of poker machines from all Tasmanian pubs and clubs by the year 2023 leaving the only ones available in Hobart and Launceston at the two casinos. Federal Group who also run both the hotels have their exclusive license expire in Tasmania in 2023 also and the Liberals have wanted to extend that so that Federal can launch several new projects however Labor haven’t guaranteed what will happen with that. Lots of jobs could be at stake with several venues saying they won’t be able to survive with the loss of the pokies.
Tassie election officially called for March 3rd so it won’t conflict with the SA election now. So far all the usual talk - only the Libs can form majority government, Labor will only end up going into power with the Greens and look how that ended last time.
Labor then say they won’t do any deals etc…
Greens say what about us, why doesn’t anybody like us and then say something stupid to show why nobody likes them.
The interesting thing by the looks of things though is that Liberals will lose a few seats (there’s 25 seats - 5 members for each of the 5 electorates) and Labor will gain some (they currently have 7) and Jacqui Lambie Network will get some and they could end up going into a deal with Labor to govern, hopefully keeping the Greens out and they will hopefully lose some seats too.
Pokies, health and the colleges look like the three biggest issues. After decades of forestry being the big one it’s weird to have other issues!
This, combined with public dissatisfaction over the Victorian State Government’s response to the surging crime waves across Melbourne, could cost Labor dearly at this November’s state election.
It would be a surprise to see them thrown out after one term, especially when there’s a perception that Labor are at least doing ‘something’ - there’s no positive campaign or push for change that Guy and the Liberals can run with, as Andrews did in 2014.
Qld campaign featuring local media personalities including ABC News presenter Matt Wordsworth, Melissa Downes, Kay McGrath, and Georgina Lewis are supporting the campaign, fronted by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
The ACT container deposit scheme starts on 30 June 2018. At an express refund point the only way to get the deposit back on your eligible containers will be to put them in a see-through bag which will presumably be plastic as string bags probably won’t work I think, then an attendant will put a printed paper label on the bag. After the containers are counted a few days later you will get the money credited to your bank account. So they are encouraging the use of plastic bags and needlessly wasting paper and ink in this cumbersome process.
The one bulk depot will require you to sort containers yourself then lineup and wait your turn for someone to count them. It avoids the waste of plastic and paper but will waste people’s time.
I’ll probably just continue to use the yellow bin.
I think the reverse vending machines being used in NSW are a reasonable enough idea for doing this.
You can also take the containers to participating shops (e.g. servos, milk bars, dry cleaners) who count them and give you cash in return.
I’ve seen people complaining that drink prices have increased by more than 10 cents, but I think it makes sense that it would, considering the amount of infrastructure required to implement the program (e.g. the reverse vending machines). IPART seems to agree that everything seems to be above board.
Weren’t the lockout laws one of Barry O’Farrell’s ideas which Baird & Berejiklian have continued with?
In any case, I personally won’t be unhappy if NSW voters decide to vote out the current government in March next year (in particular, Gladys and Andrew “McFerryFace” Constance have to go IMO) - the only problem is that the prospect of having Premier Foley doesn’t sound that much better!
