Qld: Gaven is thorn in Beattie's side as state poll approaches

AAP General News (Australia)
04-01-2006
Qld: Gaven is thorn in Beattie's side as state poll approaches

By Julianna Stewart

GOLD COAST, April 1 AAP - Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is in a race to claw back
public support from the damaging Gaven by-election, ahead of the next State election less
than 12 months away.

The forced by-election on the Gold Coast has been a major distraction for the Labor
government and Mr Beattie admits it couldn't have come at a worse time.

Mr Beattie said there would be "political consequences" for the government if it lost
Gaven, following by-election defeats in the Brisbane-area seats of Chatsworth and Redcliffe
in August.

"That creates issues I know in terms of my leadership but I'm determined to continue
and determined to rebuild the government stocks," he said.

Mr Beattie was hot on the campaign trail at Pacific Pines State Primary School today,
showing public support for Labor candidate Phil Gray.

Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg has accused Labor of pork-barrelling with its
barrage of election promises this week.

Labor expects a drubbing in the poll, which was called after the resignation of former
Labor MP Robert Poole following sustained criticism of his extended overseas absences
from the electorate.

Mr Beattie, who during the three week campaign visited the seat just once before this
week, admitted public sentiment had indicated there were some areas where Labor needed
to lift its game.

"I've had a number of people say to me this morning that they want us to get on and
implement our health action plan...and speed that up and I've said that we'll do that
as quickly as possible," he said.

"This is the third term and we're going into the last 12 months of the term. In terms
of timing you couldn't get a worst possible time really for a by election."

Mr Gray, formerly Mr Poole's political campaign manager, believed he had a group of
strong supporters in the electorate and anticipated a better result in the state election
due to be held in February 2007.

"If I go down here, I'll be back up in the next state election...where I would favour
my chances greatly there," he said.

"The national party are basically irrelevant in this area and on the Gold Coast and
it would reinforce this irrelevancy if they could only get a single digit win in a by
election situation.

Labor's advertising campaign highlighted the differences between the Nationals and
the Liberals, questioning why the coalition had fielded a Nationals candidate in Dr Alex
Douglas to contest a seat which polling showed to be Liberal heartland.

"There's no doubt a liberal party candidate would have done better here had there been
a liberal," Mr Beattie said.

The poll will be a good barometer for the coalition, in its first electoral outing
since re-forming its partnership last September.

AAP jus/jt/de

KEYWORD: GAVEN NIGHTLEAD

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