Palaszczuk: Time to keep people safe and in work
Queensland cannot risk an LNP government, writes Labor leader Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. (Photo: AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)
I have two priorities: Keeping Queensland safe and keeping people in work.
The global pandemic has killed more than a million people and brought entire nations to their knees.
But not Queensland.
Sadly, we’ve lost six lives but more than five million have been protected.
This is a world-class achievement for which the people of this state do not get nearly enough credit.
To do it meant tough decisions like closing the borders but when we see second waves crashing through Victoria and countries around the world, I know those decisions were right.
Other countries, with industries and schools shut, can only dream of an economic recovery.
But not in Queensland.
My worst fear is all of our hard work being put at risk.
We are in the middle of implementing our economic recovery plan, something we put together with more than two dozen industry and employer groups.
You’ve probably seen it tucked under my arm at media conferences. We’re proud of it. It was designed after listening to what Queensland industries and workers want.
It means more jobs and more manufacturing in Queensland.
It includes things like payroll tax breaks encouraging companies to hire more, and $8bn worth of direct stimulus for industries like tourism that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.
Before the pandemic, my government produced five budget surpluses in a row.
We are implementing our $50 billion infrastructure building bonanza, delivering the schools, roads and hospitals we need along with the thousands of jobs that go with them all across the state and we are working with the federal government on others.
We can’t risk going backwards.
Above all, we need a government that will fight for Queensland.
That’s what I have done each and every day.