Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Saturday 28 March, Queenslanders will head to vote in their local government elections. On the same day, the state electorate of Bundamba will have their by-election. The electorate of Bundamba encompasses suburbs in the east and south-east of the City of Ipswich local government area. Major locations include Bundamba, Blackstone, Goodna, Redbank Plains, parts of Augustine Heights and Springfield. It's a terrific community and one that I am proud to represent. On Saturday 28 March, I will be supporting and endorsing the Labor candidate for Bundamba, Lance McCallum. Lance has a proud history of fighting for a fair go for working people.

This is an important by-election because we know a vote for the LNP is a vote for One Nation and a vote for One Nation is a vote for the LNP. It reminds me to address to the House that under the Newman government, particularly in our community, we saw some of the most savage cuts and sackings of public servants across Queensland. One hundred and twenty-four frontline health workers lost their jobs in Ipswich, forcing nurses and doctors to do more with less and putting patient safety at risk. The LNP when they were last in government delivered no new funding for road upgrades in Ipswich and cut $10.8 million from local road projects, including 140 road maintenance crews in our areas who lost their jobs. School land was sold off and nursing homes were closed. Perhaps the most scandalous event of the Newman government was the health minister at the time closing the Barrett Adolescent Youth Centre. This had profound affects for our community. I was so proud that the Premier of Queensland intervened to reverse that decision and two weeks ago, reopened the new Barrett Adolescent Centre.

We saw cuts to legal aid and cuts to the Skilling Queenslanders program, which helped long-term unemployed members of the community get back into work. Across Queensland 2,100 TAFE staff were sacked, 4,400 health jobs were lost and 500 teachings positions were cut. They sacked school nurses and cut $600 million from roads funding. They cut vital frontline services.

I know that Lance McCallum is a fighter for our community. I know that Lance stood up to Campbell Newman when he was in government and he will stand up to the LNP. We know they have one plan for Queensland: to cut, sack and sell our essential assets. On 28 March, I will be proudly supporting Lance McCallum to make sure that our community has a strong voice in the Palaszczuk government.

On 28 March, I will also be supporting Rachel Hoppe, our hardworking candidate for the Jamboree Ward. Rachel is a long-term local who has devoted her life to helping others. I know this because I have worked with Rachel for the past three years as the federal member for Oxley. Alongside our hardworking state member, Jessica Pugh, Rachel understands what the Centenary Suburbs need. She will bring experience and determination to protect our way of life and a plan to tackle traffic congestion and will work hard as part of our strong local community team.

We know the LNP in Brisbane City Council is tired and out of touch and has run out of ideas. We see more money being spent on advertising and glossy brochures than frontline services. Just this week we saw an underspend of $1.15 million by the LNP in Brisbane on vital services like treating mosquitoes across our city. The Centenary Suburbs in Brisbane have been forgotten under this LNP council. I am proud to support Patrick Condren, our Labor lord mayoral candidate, who will restore frontline services and make sure our suburbs are not forgotten. Rachel Hoppe, as part of Pat's team, will make sure our broken footpaths will be fixed. Seven hundred footpaths will be repaired. There will be $1 million to repair broken potholes across the city and to see extra bus services provided right across our city.

In the election for Brisbane it is critical that we see a Labor administration delivering for our suburbs, delivering for our community. I know that Rachel Hoppe has the determination and the plans to get more for our suburbs, and I'll be backing her all the way on 28 March.