QLD:Do better resolution for Qld govt in 2011

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2010
QLD:Do better resolution for Qld govt in 2011

By Jessica Marszalek, AAP State Political Correspondent

BRISBANE, AAP - When Queensland's political leaders sit down to write their New Year's
resolutions this year, it will be a simple task.

"Do better" will likely be the 2011 goal of both Premier Anna Bligh and her opposition
counterpart John-Paul Langbroek after a year of ups and downs.

For the premier, it's been her unpopular asset sales plans that have dogged her.

Unions continued their campaign against them, some of her own MPs questioned the plan,
and the unpopular issue has been blamed for a series of dismal polls even worse than what
Joh Bjelke-Petersen recorded during Fitzgerald.

In fact, Ms Bligh's deep unpopularity was also partly blamed for federal Labor's election
drubbing in the Sunshine State - although many pundits pointed to the ousting of Queensland
prime minister Kevin Rudd just before the vote.

Asset sales, combined with the bad polling, contributed to leadership rumblings that
culminated in a special caucus meeting in September.

But what was expected to be a fiery discussion fizzed into nothing.

A few MPs told Ms Bligh she needed to do better, but the team still felt she was their
best chance.

What emerged was a "listening offensive" to reconnect with voters by making Labor MPs
undertake work experience in menial jobs.

Ms Bligh took her first work experience opportunity in a Brisbane hospital where she
heard about another source of voter misery - the bungled Queensland Health payroll system.

The new system has been a nightmare for workers who are having to trawl through payslips
to see if they're been paid correctly since the $70 million system was introduced in March.

It's not expected to be running at peak efficiency until June next year, and it's going
to cost $209 million to fix over 18 months.

But even with 74,000 workers put out over the payroll bungle, it's privatisation that's
been the constant issue, albeit one that's nearly complete.

The government has already publicly floated a portion of rail freight company QR National
and sold its forestry business and the Port of Brisbane, earning $7.3 billion.

It's in negotiations to transfer Queensland Motorways to its investment arm - the Queensland
Investment Corporation (QIC) - for an expected $3 billion.

It also intends to sell off the Abbott Point Coal Terminal next year and eventually
sell off the remainder of its stake in QR National, earning an estimated total of $14.1
billion under the program.

However, Ms Bligh has still struggled against a public that believes it was lied to
about the controversial plan before the 2009 election.

She says she never lied about privatisation, which forms an important plank of her
economic policies that will pay down debt, regain a AAA credit rating, grow jobs and keep
its projects and services going.

And policies is where the opposition has lagged this year.

Mr Langbroek has spent a year blue in the face criticising Ms Bligh, her plans and
her "lazy" team.

But he's often failed to paint an alternative plan Queenslanders could get excited about.

For example, he's pledged not to sell assets but can't say what he'd cut in government
spending without that extra revenue.

Instead, he says, he'd "stop government waste", and points to projects like Queensland
Health's payroll woes as evidence of that waste.

But he's struggled to explain exactly what that means, leading to some poor media performances.

He's also had to withstand some unpleasantness from his own side.

Two MPs left the party to sit as independents, criticising the party's direction.

Mr Langbroek had to drop frontbencher David Gibson after the Gympie MP labelled him
"unpredictable" and remind his front bench they should "sing from the same hymn sheet"

when a backbencher questioned the party's steadfast opposition to asset sales.

And the government had a field day with some old Police Union editorials written by
Mr Langbroek's chief of staff Ross Musgrove before his appointment, in which he said:
"John-Paul Peter Brian Fred Tinkerbell Langbroek has all the political bite of a French
poodle".

But most damaging has been ongoing speculation that his team may not be completely
behind him and may want a change.

Nevertheless, he's returned encouraging poll results, although he trails deputy Lawrence
Springborg as preferred leader.

With an election quite possibly at the end of 2011, both leaders have less than 12
months to turn around their fortunes.

Despite the perception that the Liberal National Party (LNP) will be able to coast
into office on the back of Labor's terminal unpopularity, Mr Langbroek will need to put
his leadership skills on show and keep his party in order.

Indeed, some within are already worried his at-times unpolished performances will result
in a giant campaign-trail gaffe that'll spell an end to the LNP's chances before things
have even begun.

He'll likely be up against a polished performer, with MPs touted as Ms Bligh's replacements
insisting they will not challenge.

Ms Bligh has said she will stand aside if she becomes a liability, but many wonder
how much worse the polls will have to get before she decides she is.

With that polling showing her team face election annihilation, Ms Bligh will be working
to turn her asset sales agenda into a positive in 2011, showing Queenslanders what she's
been able to achieve with the extra funds.

Mr Langbroek will be working to make sure she cannot.

If either break their New Year's resolutions, it'll cost them dearly.

AAP jmm/crh/cdh/bwl

KEYWORD: YEARENDER QLD

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