Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's on.
In a old-styled, unashamedly grass-roots rally, Queensland's Labor Party has rediscovered its core support base and openly declared the Queensland election 2015 is all about asset sales.
Labor was deservedly trounced by the LNP in 2012 and sent soul searching for its identity.
On Tuesday morning in the small, timber Kruger Hall in Kallangur on Brisbane's north side, 200 of the party's faithful stomped their feet and roared their support for the ALP cause.
Labor's heavyweights watched on as Kallangur electrician and Labor's candidate for Kallangur, Shane King*, introduced Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk.
And despite a slight nervous falter - she did not let them down.
"We all know that Campbell Newman and the LNP's plans for asset sales will cost jobs," she told the crowd, all dressed in Labor red T-shirts.
But she told them putting long-term leases over Queensland ports in Gladstone and Townsville and electricity assets would divert profits from the Queensland government.
"It will see the permanent loss of $2 billion each and every year," she said to cheers and cries of "shame, shame".
"We must stop these asset sales."
Asset sales were deemed a factor in the downfall of the Bligh Labor government at the 2012 state election.
On Tuesday, little Kruger Hall seemed like a small pit stop in a US-style congressional campaign, with hundreds of red balloons, candidates placards, and posters telling everyone there were just "four days to stop the asset sales".
"Just think of it," Ms Palaszczuk told the crowd. "$2 billion a year of profits coming in to the Queensland budget; that's $60 billion over 30 years."
"We want to keep these profits don't we?"
"Yeah," roared the crowd.
As a motivating rally for the ALP in the final week of an election campaign it was effective.
Labor has however quarantined one-third of these profits to pay down government debt, but there are questions about how much of the rest of the money is available for economic growth after paying general government costs.
And there remains little information about key infrastructure projects Labor will back if it wins office.
However details - while essential - are for a different audience.
This audience needed inspiring and Ms Palaszczuk pushed all the right buttons in a speech which effectively kick-starts the final week of the 2015 election campaign.
She reminded the audience of promises made by the LNP at the 2012 election to control costs of living.
"Especially when Campbell Newman has broken every promise he made to Queensland about reducing the cost of living at the last election," she cried.
"Shame, shame," the crowd roared in support.
And then came Labor's punch line. "At the heart of Labor's plan - at the heart of Labor's plan for out state - is my commitment to you to keep these assets in public hands."
The rally was the final morning stop in a three electorate push for Labor through the Brisbane Central, Pine Rivers and Kallangur electorates on Brisbane's north side.
Ms Palaszczuk acknowledged Labor was not trying to match the LNP's level of spending during the election.
"It's modest, measured and the responsible thing to do," she said, decrying the LNP's strategy which she described as a "one-off spending spree built on asset sales".
* Correction: The candidate's name was incorrectly reported as Steve King. His name is Shane King.
