The 4350water Blog highlights some of the issues relating to proposals for potable reuse in Toowoomba and South East Qld. 4350water blog looks at related political issues as well.
The fifth ministerial reshuffle in 18 months.
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 7:12 PM
For many years, the 4350water blog has informed readers of plans by the Toowoomba City Council (now Toowoomba Regional Council) and the Qld government to introduce recycled water for drinking in Toowoomba. It has also looked at the issue from a State and Federal perspective and dealt with related State and Federal political issues. There continues to be a need for the Toowoomba Regional Council to be completely transparent in its dealings with the ratepayers and residents of Toowoomba. There also continues to be a need for open debate on the benefits and risks of potable reuse and long-term studies on the effects on humans of drinking recycled water. Coal seam gas water is emerging as a possible alternate water source for some uses for the region. The 4350water blog is a collective effort and thanks go to its many contributors.
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Beattie MPs fear voters' fury on health
The Australian
February 01, 2006
QUEENSLAND Labor MPs in marginal seats fear they will lose office if the Beattie Government cannot quickly defuse a protest vote that is building over the state's health crisis.
While Labor bosses insisted yesterday that the Government had been unfairly targeted over health issues, several MPs have told The Australian they fear a volatile electorate will punish the Government if services do not improve before the next election, due in 12 months.
The Australian reported yesterday the results of confidential research being distributed among Labor faithful, which showed a majority of voters in marginal seats were ready to deliver a protest vote.
Labor state secretary Milton Dick said the party had not undertaken any such research, a point emphasised in an email to all Labor MPs.
However, Labor sources said detailed research was undertaken in mid-November, if not by head office then by concerned Labor backbenchers and party stakeholders fearful of a backlash over the health crisis sparked by the "Dr Death" medical malpractice scandal.
A spokesman for Premier Peter Beattie, who also denied the existence of any such research, said last night that one Labor backbencher had undertaken some unrelated research and other work may have been done by unions.
Hervey Bay MP Andrew McNamara, a rising star in Mr Beattie's Labor Unity faction, said he would expect to lose his seat - which is Labor's seventh-most marginal, on about 4 per cent - if the election were held on Saturday.
Mr McNamara said the Government would be trying to fix in 12 months a problem that took 20 years to develop.
Small Business Minister Chris Cummins, who holds the seat of Kawana on a margin of less than 2per cent, said he hoped Labor was "at the bottom of the J-curve", because he would lose his seat on current polling.
Pumicestone MP Carryn Sullivan - whose electorate includes the troubled Caboolture Hospital - said health was so important "people want to fix it, and fix it fast". Ms Sullivan warned that a double-digit swing - which could cost Labor government - was still possible.
"I don't think anything is safe," she said.
"I think everybody is sitting in a marginal seat, because a day is a long time in politics."
Former Labor senator John Black said his own research had shown the Beattie Government was being deserted by Labor voters and the state's upper-middle class.
"The Government's in serious trouble, not just in terms of the raw numbers but also in terms of where those numbers live," Mr Black said, forecasting significant swings against Mr Beattie and Deputy Premier Anna Bligh in their inner-Brisbane seats.
Mr Black said the Liberal Party was set to capitalise on deep-seated concern over service delivery and infrastructure.
"The Government has been in serious trouble for quite some time," he said.
Australian Workers Union heavyweight Bill Ludwig yesterday accused the Australian Medical Association of running a covert industrial campaign by "standing on the sideline throwing hand grenades".
"It's all about money for the doctors," Mr Ludwig said of the health crisis.
7:38 PM, February 01, 2006
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