Real issues dodged in Queensland poll
By Bill Mason
BRISBANE — As the Liberals and Nationals desperately thrash around for an issue that can stop the Goss Labor band wagon rolling to victory on September 19, the real issues remain largely untouched by the major parties.
A "Labor is soft on crime" campaign by the Liberals, blatantly modelled on the Bush US presidential effort of 1988, has apparently fizzled.
Only unemployment, currently at a damaging 10% in Queensland, has the potential to endanger the smooth re-election of an arrogant and cynical ALP government.
A joint press conference of the Australian Democrats, Greens and Australian Indigenous Peoples Party on September 12 called for the election of independents to ensure a "watchdog" over the excesses of a re-elected Goss government.
Democrat president John Woodley, Greens convener Drew Hutton and AIPP campaign director Sam Watson said an alliance of alternative groups was needed to provide a genuine opposition in Queensland.
Democratic Socialist candidate for Brisbane Central Susan Price explained why a green, left alternative is needed in an interview published in the September 11 Brisbane Courier-Mail.
The campaign is "an opportunity to put an alternative platform in front of the public eye for the election and to bring our policies to the fore and challenge the three-party rule in this state", Price said.
"We want to have a society where there's equality, where it doesn't run on a private profit system, where there's an abundance of housing, jobs, food for all.
"Basically, what we're interested in is a society that works for people rather than the profits of a few", Price concluded.
For further information, or to help with the Democratic Socialist campaign, phone (07)358 4875.