Hands up anyone from QLD on here?

[fourandsixpants]

just interested to know ......and what you think about Campbell Newman/LNP?

What do you think outcome State election will be?

What outcome will be best for Qld?

......I am from WA and am interested as have friends just moved there.....have family in Toowoomba, friends south of gold coast and friends between Sydney/Melbourne.

 

[azureline**]

 I think.....................Newman will need to work a lot harder to win by a small margin but I hope he doesn't.

I have only seen 1 flyer so far for candidates in my electorate and it was Labor. Currently I can see people on street corners with placards...... I thought they were the pizza placards!

Honestly, what is the point of waving them at motorists?  No one is stopping to talk to them.

[icyfroth]

Well Alan Jones was scathing about him in this morning's program. Especially regarding the extension of the Acland mine.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/queensland-election-2015-alan-jones-...

[harley_babes_hoard]

One big thing that might hurt him is the introduction of the VLAD law. There is a big movement within the biker scene to vote against him and his party. Not just talking about outlaw clubs but all bikers.

[fourandsixpants]

[fourandsixpants]

HHhhhmmmmnn..........promises of more jobs and assurances that mine extension is approved to be an an :

"....environmentally appropriate way....."   O-kaaaaay

My concern is firstly 'different' job numbers quoted......some articles say: 300, some quote 700, other docs quote 1,000.

.....surely depends on the market demand for the actual coal as to how many jobs there would be at any one time?

My second concern would be regards environmental impact of operations, specifically water/tailings:

The construction of a water pipeline from the Wetalla Wastewater Reclamation Facility in Toowoomba to the mine (one component of the project) was expedited by the proponent, in accordance with provisions of Part 4 of the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 in place at the time.

.......I would be asking questions about  the WHERE and HOW of this water once used for mine processing, that is how is the TAILINGS/water going to be managed, contained and impact on surrounds?

[fourandsixpants]

re https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Bills/54PDF/2013/VicLawAssDisB13.pdf

VLAD

Vicious Lawless Association

Disestablishment Bill 2013

Queensland’s Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act—VLAD—is designed to eradicate criminal bikie gangs, but its critics say the new law will sweep up innocent people as well, and is already being used to harass. Ian Townsend spoke to legal experts, police and club members for this Background Briefing investigation.

 http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/2014-02-02/5225444

.......former detective and now professor of criminology at Bond University on the Gold Coast,Terry Goldsworthy says : there’s little evidence that the laws are having any impact on organised crime at all.

He says most bikie crime is low level drug, assault and driving offences, and cites crime statistics for the 2011/2012 financial year in South East Queensland that he says show that outlaw motorcycle gangs were responsible for less than one percent of all offences reported.

Those sorts of statistics are disputed by Hugh McDermott, an organised crime researcher from Charles Sturt University

'You don't join a club if you just want to ride a motorcycle,' he says.

'You join those clubs basically to be a criminal.'

Hugh McDermott says the role of bikie gangs in crime goes much deeper that the police statistics suggest.

'Bike gangs and other organised crime groups don't do it in isolation,' he says. 'This doesn't work in a vacuum.'

.........................................................................................................................................

I can see both sides of this argument but am old enough to have learnt that Govts often,do not usually adopt legislation for the voters/publics benefit....they do it for their benefit.

I do not belong to a bikie group, nor know anyone who is a member .....but without reading through this legislation doc I am suspicious of its underlying intention.

[fourandsixpants]

....after reading:

Great Barrier Reef threatened by Queensland plan to let miners take billions of litres of groundwater, says Marine Park Authority

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-25/qld-plan-to-let-miners-take-billions-of-litres-of-water/591674...

I AM now concerned regarding the 'taking' of water for mining ops.

Queensland is set to enact water legislation that the body responsible for protecting the Great Barrier Reef has warned will pose environmental risks to the reef and coastal waterways.

A package of measures, expected to be voted through this week, will deregulate the use of local water by resources companies, including coal miners, expanding on a model already enjoyed by coal seam gas operators in Queensland.

Critics say the reforms will allow mining companies to take billions of litres of water without the need for a licence and could have an impact on water supplies to regional towns.

The proposals have drawn criticism from the state's local government association, landholders and scientists.

Even the state's coal industry described the legislation as rushed and said there had been insufficient consultation.

...................................................................................................................................

HUGE CONCERN imo

[harley_babes_hoard]

Although bikies have been the focus of this legislation it does not specifically mention bikers so in fact it can be applied to any group of citizens. Now that outlaw bikers are unpatched in Queensland police don't know who is who. They are targeting normal family clubs like I belong to or a small group of friends out for a ride.

[azureline**]

Speaking to someone yesterday about the election.................she said she is voting for Newman because of the good job he did with "those" bikie laws.

The conversation ended when she told me that she can't vote for anyone else in case they take those laws away. I was lost for words....................