I thank Graham for having written this timely and helpful article.

That said, I consider some of it wide of the mark.

I don't think we should "[assume that] Anna Bligh's government [will run] its full term." (see below)

What has happened in Queensland since February is the moral equivalent of someone having been sold a total lemon by a shonky used car salesman using misleading advertising and having no recourse whatsoever through consumer protection legislation.

Let's just remind ourselves of some of the facts of how we got to where we are today. I have been told that since September last year there were rumours that an early election would be called. From at least early December 2008 Rupert Murdoch's Courier-Mail newspaper joined in the clamour to demand that Anna Bligh break her promise to serve her full term by calling an early election (see http://candobetter.org/node/972 for my article "Courier Mail misreports water recycling to demand early election" of 5 January 09).

At any time between September 2008 and 23 February 2009 Anna Bligh could have ended the early election speculation by reaffirming her promise to serve her full term. But she did not. On 23 February she announced the snap election to be held on Saturday 22 March, less than four weeks from that date.

Her stated reason was that uncertainty due to early election speculation was harming the economy! So, by her own admission, she had effectively allowed our economy to be harmed by that uncertainty for five months.

Clearly Bligh's motives had little to do with concern for the economy or the welfare of the Queensland people and everything to do with her own calculations about how she could best hold onto power for another 3 years and then be able to enact a whole range of nasty pieces of legislation that she well knew would be opposed by the Queensland public, the foremost amongst them being privatisation.

My own attempts, as an intending candidate, to contact both Anna Bligh and Andrew Fraser ask them to state their intentions about privatisation, beginning on ...(tobecontinued)

(continuedfromabove)... Tuesday 17 March (see http://candobetter.org/node/1073), were almost completely ignored.

My attempts to get Brisbane's local ABC radio station and other newsmedia to raise this issue were similarly unsuccessful. In spite of repeated e-mails I sent to the ABC stating in detail why I feared that more privatisations would be enacted by the Queensland Government, Madonna King, in particular, and the rest of the ABC presenters refused to seriously question Fraser or Bligh.

If they had, then privatisation would have been brought out into the open and both the Labor Party and the LNP would have been forced to either give firm commitments against privatisation or, else, justify privatisation to the electors.

If Labor had said then what they have said since they would not be in office today.

However, the ABC refused to seriously raise privatisation, judging it not to be 'newsworthy'. For more information, please see http://candobetter.org/node/1159 http://candobetter.org/node/1288 http://candobetter.org/node/1316 http://candobetter.org/QldElections

I need to cut to the chase and appeal to people to sign the e-petition I set up at http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/EPetitions_QLD/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetNum=1360&lIndex=-1

"Queensland citizens draws to the attention of the House the Queensland public, the rightful owners of $15 billion worth of assets which are to be sold, were denied any say over this because of the failure of the Queensland government to reveal those plans during the course of the elections. We consider the stated intention of the government to proceed with the sale in the face of opinion polls, which show at least 80% public opposition, to be amongst the most serious breaches of public trust imaginable.

"Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to call upon the Queensland government to resign immediately to give the Queensland public a chance to elect a new Government which can gain its trust. Your petitioners also warn any private investors considering buying the assets, not to do so and call upon a future State government which does enjoy the trust and confidence of the Queensland people not to honour any such contracts for the sale of assets."

I will explain at greater length, the reasons why people should sign this petition, later.

GY,
No surprises from me.
Your 'analysis' is in my opinion more designed to aid the LNP than objectivity.

You could argue that because of my stated disgust for all things political that I too am biased.

I am no more a fan of the Labor government than The potential LNP.
Note the phrasing. Specifically, that I refer to the party ,not the PR massaged focus on the leaders(?). I find it difficult to accept the Australian political party version of the "Nuremberg Defense".

The idea that a local member actually represents their electorate is more the exception than the rule.

Tragically, the major parties have set a culture that suits them rather than real representation. I could give specific examples but that would be to digress.

The overall effect of this manipulative self interested culture (non elector based ) is that political battles are over power and not policy. therefore, we finish up with a 'hobs' choice between the lesser of two nuanced, PR stacked , lessor of two evils rather than a constructive one.

Further to that ,and now the point, analysis tends to be manipulative, push (biased in that it's selective), incomplete, and overly simplistic to both pander to easily led rumps and distract attention from meaningful government.

I don't with to single out this analysis particularly other than to point out, the old axiom "if you aren't part of the solution, your active participation in this system, is part of the problem"

Apologies Graham, if I offended, that wasn't my intention.

OK I'll go to the naughty corner.

<< No matter how Bligh may turn, the lady is for burning. >>

I don’t know about that Graham. The thing is that for all her faults, broken promises, and mad pandering to rapid population growth in SEQ, the opposition is not seen as being one iota better!

So if Anna can just do something that really resonates with Queenslanders, she’ll be back in like Flynn!

And I’ve got just the thing:

She’s already instigated the Queensland population growth summit to be held next March. So now she just needs to get wise about the imperative to wind the population influx into southeast Queensland right down, and she’ll be on an electoral winner!

The way to do it is to slap disincentives on would-be new residents, as per my general thread; Disincentive to come to Queensland: http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=3279

If Bligh can just demonstrate that she can implement policies of genuine sustainability, and to actually do something meaningful about stopping the rot with ever-increasing pressure on water supplies, roads, health and education services, the environment, CO2 emissions and just about everything else, then she must surely be on a winner.

She can do all of these things in one move, by implementing strong disincentives for people to move into Queensland.

This wouldn’t cost the existing taxpayer one cent. And it would mean that our tax dollars would actually translate into meaningful improvements in all these areas instead of into struggling to keep up the same level of infrastructure and services for ever-more people.

The policy direction that Queensland desperately needs and the policy that would most appeal to the Queensland voters are one in the same.

So the questions are; will Bligh realise this? And if she does, will her party and the all-important big-business lobby, let her develop policies in line with it?

She herself has said that poor management of population growth will cause a crisis in livability. So can she implement a good management regime and do it before the next election to the extent that the voters can accept her efforts as significant and genuine?

Nothing the mildly incompetent and uninspiring Anna Bligh has done could ever compare with the corruption, civil rights abuses and fraud of the tyrant Joh Bjelke Peterson and his self-serving government. The public is continually made aware that not only are many of the Nationals are impenitent for the Joh years, but they see that era as the glory days of the National Party.

There is a strong suspicion that if the Nats ever get back in, they will immediately build monuments to Joh and the same old scallywags will be once again feel welcome in Queensland.

The Liberals, as per usual, went along with the corruption for decades to remain in power. Maybe that is what Liberals do, as shown by the number of senior Liberals at the federal level who, when Howard fell, immediately sought to distance themselves from him, yet did not have the principles nor guts to challenge his excesses when in government.

The LNP opposition in Queensland still has no policies, so there is no change from the previous election. The co-operation between the Libs and the Nats is superficial and for convenience only - they hate and mistrust one another and the world knows it.

On the Traverston dam, Bligh was bowled an underarm delivery by Peter Garrett and the feds. Again, she is not responsible for federal immigration excesses that threaten the sustainability not only of Queensland but of all of Australia. Similarly, Bligh is not responsible for the additional tax burden on present day taxpayers to provide additional infrastructure for the unnecessary and excessive population growth attributable to record immigration intakes decided by federal government.

What we have been seeing is a continuation of the scare campaign that was waged by some sections of the media prior to the previous election to persuade the public into blaming the government, in particular Bligh, for all ills, including the weather. While it is true that Bligh has her limitations, her government has much more talent and experience (and dare I say ethics) than the alternative government and especially the rag-tag, opportunist Greens.

....persuade the public into blaming the government, in particular Bligh, for all ills, including the weather...
Cornflower,
You've got it back to front, that's what Labor did with Joh all the time.

Well Graham, your article strengthens my thoughts that polotics is more about how bad a party can be, rather than how much better the other side can be.

The next election will be very interesting and, may well be a protest vote which will see labor loose rather than the LNP win.

It is unfortunate, but, the reality is that very few parties win elections, rather, they loose. In Blighs case, last time she just didn't loose badly enough to be voted out of office.

Meanwhile, the bar just gets lowered time and time again.

I basically agree Cornflower.

Just one comment in response to this:

<< …she is not responsible for federal immigration excesses that threaten the sustainability not only of Queensland but of all of Australia…[or] for the additional tax burden on present day taxpayers to provide additional infrastructure for the unnecessary and excessive population growth attributable to record immigration intakes decided by federal government. >>

Bligh is not totally innocent either. She should have been very loudly protesting to Rudd about this right from the time that he won power and raised immigration. In fact, her silence on this is highly irresponsible.

Graham, all the LNP needs to do, was all they needed to do in the last election and the 'coalition' for the election before that was to stop looking like a bunch of stunned wombats that don't have any kind of cohesion or plan. The way that's accomplished is to get at least one competent (doesn't matter if they are liars, they're all liars at some stage) person out front and keep the spotlight off everyone else.

The reason the LNP (and the previous L&NP) lose all the time is that they don't even have a competent liar.

In fact, her silence on this is highly irresponsible.
Ludwig,
It took petitions from tens of thousands of people to get her Government to upgrade the second busiest airport in Australia & get Qantas to pull out its finger out & to provide a decent service via the monopoly given to it by this Government. You're right it is highly irresponsible & not very competent policy making at all. Why did it need a petition ? Are these ministers so ignorant that they need to be pushed rather than think ?

You have to be very carefull when you extend airports, as the very reason they carry so much traffic is due to cheap flights.

Now with ETS, or some form of it about to come in to play, is there a chance we will see an end to these cheap flights and, what will happen to all this infastructure if and when this happens.

After all, you know there's a real problem when your taxi ride from the airport costs you more than your flight!

These are assetts I would certainly sell, if we own them that is.

As for the LNP, I would like to see Peter Dutton, or perhaps Mal Brough run for leader. This would make Bligh shake in her boots.

And what about the forced council mergers 'we had to have', which would make goverment more efficient.

All it's done is increased rates to almost unaffordable levels.

There is nothing wrong with the present (State) leader of the LNP. His more measured, quiet delivery and progressive conservatism are attractive to voters, both male and female, however he needs to get known. It would also be useful if Barnaby Joyce could move his mouth interstate.

The electorate is weary of attack dogs and their scare campaigns. How many surveys show that voters want an opposition that doesn't merely oppose but is constructive and can rise above the tawdry, bully boy (and bully girl) politics that squander time and resources in difficult times?

In the parliament, the LNP needs to look and act like quiet achievers and leave the sensationalist criticism of the government to those who do it best, the hacks of the media who already smell blood. It is in the electorate that the LNP can dramatically improve its chances for the next election. To get into power do the hard yards in the electorate while Bligh gets a hernia trying to build her image with hacks who are only interested in cheap headlines through stereotyping her.

The risk of continuing to sink the slipper into Anna Bligh is that the electorate will become sympathetic to her for copping endless flack for things she is not responsible for. Further, she will be seen as strong and resilient for still having her chin up despite the cowardly self-seeking criticism of unions, the usual noisy suspects in the community and the cheap shots of media hacks and editors.

Matter of fact, I reckon Anna Bligh has already turned the corner and is already the recipient of the grudging admiration of voters for being strong - not always right - but strong enough to try to hear out the other side and stick with her commitments and defend her choices. I happen to agree: she has got guts, she doggedly pushes on and who can doubt her concern for the good of Queensland?

<< There is nothing wrong with the present (State) leader of the LNP. His more measured, quiet delivery and progressive conservatism are attractive to voters, both male and female, however he needs to get known. >>

And therein lies the quandary, Cornflower. How does he get sufficiently well known and respected as being genuine, amongst the masses that find politics totally boring, with this sort of approach??

Unfortunately, I don’t think the quiet approach will work.

So that takes me back to what I’ve said a bunch of times on OLO – the Opposition (state of federal) needs to really set itself apart from the incumbents with some very tangibly different policies that will resonate with the voters.

And the best way to do this is to embrace real sustainability and population stabilisation. In fact, it is probably the only way.

Ludwig, you and I often think alike when it comes to polotics.

Nowdays, very few elections are won, rather, they are lost.

JH came to power back in the 90's because labor lost. He retained office three times, all very rare wins. He then lost in 07, but labor did not win.

Anna Bligh lost the last state election, but just didn't loose badly enough. Next time it may be different.

We need people with balls. People to make hard descisions that don't involve selling assetts when you yourself have caused the debt.

We need someone to address housing affordabillity by winding back the ridiculis wages being paid to many like, apprentice plumbers earning $1500 per week.

I'm not suggesting a return to work choices BELLY, but seriously, when you have a gap of more than a thousand dollars per week between trade apprentices, Butchers V Plumbers, you have an in-equality being built in to the system.

The reason Butchers wages are so low is because the general public won't pay huge prices for food.

Now how are the plumbers of the world going to cope if and when the building industry collapses. It has before!

Another problem with elections is that even the non-productive of society have their say and they will simply not tollerate anyone who dare disturb their nests.

And, there is a fair chance there will be more 'hand-outs' desguised as 'stimulus' before the next election just to secure the votes.

When labor are finnished with this country, both state and federal, I fear there will be no pieces left to pick up.

Ludwig, "..the best way to do this is to embrace real sustainability and population stabilisation. In fact, it is probably the only way."

That would work for the sorry opposition we see at federal level. It is the federal government that is foolishly continuing with record immigration numbers and a 'Big Australia'.

However at State level I believe that the best marketing and best government are in doing the basics exceptionally well. Those fundamentals that State government was set up to do and can only be done well by State government. That and budgeting to provide lower, not higher taxes. It needs a lot of earnest, straight talking though, which is hardly convincing if State government ministers are regular world tourists.

People are fed up with the uselessness of the labor spin merchants.
Look at them Beattie, Bligh, Carr, Iemma, Rees, Kenneally, Bracks, Brumby, Gallop, Carpenter, Rann, Bacon, Lennon and Bartlett and at last some sense in the West. For the last 10 or 12 years these bastards have wrecked havoc across Australia

Look at the state of the states. Most of these spin meister bludgers got away with their lies and mismanagement solely because of the Howard Federal Government exceptionally good economic management.

Now we've got the king spinner as PM and look whats happening. The mis-management of the states is becoming all too apparent because Rudd and Swan are unable to manage the Federal Economy as well as Howard and Costello and the funding stupidies to and of the states is now totally out of control. Yes the blame game has stopped and the chickens are coming home to roost.

And Rudd wants to introduce another tax to send wealth overseas.
Pah! deranged.

Labour should be banned and it's members tried for treason.

<< However at State level I believe that the best marketing and best government are in doing the basics exceptionally well. >>

But Cornflower, one of the most basic of basic responsibilities of state governments is to protect the future wellbeing of their constituencies and strike a balance between people and environment, blah, blah, and to NOT let the demand exerted on stressed resources just blunderingly increase with no end in sight.

In Queensland this is a huge factor that runs against good governance. In fact, it is so important that even if Bligh was really good at everything else, she’d still be critically terrible overall.

I mean, with Queensland’s enormous population growth and with such enormous stresses manifesting themselves especially in the southeast corner, how can she possibly not be directing everything she’s got towards fighting for a stable population and a regime of real sustainability??

OK, so she’s instigated the forthcoming population growth summit. I hope to goodness that it is a genuine balanced forum for addressing population and sustainability issues….and that she’ll modify her approach accordingly.

But regardless of this, the opposition should be running with it!

It is not just the federal opposition, it is very much the state opposition parties – all of them, and most so in Queensland – that should be embracing sustainability.

<< …budgeting to provide lower, not higher taxes… >>

I don’t think lower taxes are the way to go. I think that making our tax dollars produce real improvements instead of chasing the tail of continuous rapid population growth and struggling to keep up the same level of services and infrastructure to ever more people without producing improvements for the existing populace is the big problem.

So I say, don’t reduce the tax level, but do reduce the population influx. And do it now, Anna…and come on John-Paul, get your party behind this and either make Anna do it, or win power by advocating it and do it yourself!!