[Greens-Media] QLD GREENS Media Release:Greens clear winner in public debate

[Qld Greens Media]

*QLD GREENS Media Release:*

*Greens clear winner in public debate *

*Last night’s public debate and question and answer session with 
candidates for the Brisbane Central electorate showed up the ALP’s poor 
record on health, open space, public transport and quality of life in 
South East Queensland, while the Greens policies were a clear winner 
with the audience.*

Approximately 50 voters in the Brisbane Central electorate attended the 
public debate between the candidates last night at a local hall, 
organised by Queensland Greens Brisbane Central candidate Larissa 
Waters, a public interest environmental lawyer.

“The Greens organised this debate to hear from the community about what 
their issues are, because we stand for real, grassroots democracy and 
public participation in policy making.

“It goes to show you how little the old parties care about Brisbane 
Central when the Liberal candidate didn’t even attend, and the Premier 
sent a neighbouring MP who was unable to accept responsibility for the 
health crisis” said Ms Waters.

“Andrew Fraser, the ALP member for Mt Coot-tha, was repeatedly 
questioned on the health crisis given his role as the Parliamentary 
Secretary.

“He refused to acknowledge that the health crisis is much deeper than 
just the failures of previous Health Minister Gordon Nuttall. He ran the 
‘buck stops with the Minister’ line, implying that given the Minister 
had stepped down, the health crisis was fixed and would not reoccur.

“He could not explain why, under the Beattie government, 10 hospitals 
have been closed since 1997 despite an influx of 1000 new residents to 
South East Queensland every week.”

Ms Waters also told the audience about the ALP’s dysfunction on open 
space and public transport.

“The government had such an opportunity with the SEQ Regional Plan to 
protect open space and greenspace (bushland for wildlife) in our urban 
areas, to ensure families have a park to take their kids to, and that 
our native wildlife can co-exist with us in cities.

“But there are no controls on these issues inside the urban footprint, 
which is much of Brisbane.

“And the SEQ Infrastructure Plan and Program which sets out 
infrastructure plans for the next 20 years does contain some good public 
transport initiatives – but the government is prioritising all the roads 
instead of delivering the public transport commitments first.

“Building new urban freeways, bypasses and tunnels first and improving 
public transport later is just crazy. It is widely known that when you 
build more roads, more people use cars, so it does not fix the 
congestion problem, and only adds to pollution which is damaging our 
health and our environment” said Ms Waters.

The Greens policies on transport, health, sustainable economic 
development and planning and many other issues are on our website at 
_www.qld.greens.org.au <http://www.qld.greens.org.au/>_.

For further information contact:

*Larissa Waters, Queensland Greens Candidate for Brisbane Central *

*Mobile: 0421 844 280, Email: *_brisbane-central at qld.greens.org.au 
<mailto:brisbane-central at qld.greens.org.au>_

-- 
www.qld.greens.org.au

State election Spokesperson. Juanita Wheeler 0402 487 110

Queensland Greens media spokespeople.

Climate Change and Indigenous. Drew Hutton 0428 487 110
Human Rights and Environment. Juanita Wheeler 0402 487 110
Transport and Planning. Greg George 0424 725 719

Queensland Greens campaign coordinator.
Ian Gittus 0422 542 370

Office 3846 0862
fax 3844 4654

www.qld.greens.org.au