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Newman's state of confusion

AAP

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

© The Cairns Post

 

CAMPBELL Newman's commitment to regional Queensland has come under fire again after the LNP leader made another gaffe about Far Northern geography.

During an interview about the state of the Bruce Highway on Cairns radio last week, Mr Newman incorrectly referred to Bowen being north of Cairns.

It follows a similar slip-up from Mr Newman last year, when he called the Far Northern seat of Mulgrave "Musgrave" and tried to correct the error by saying he had a friend called Musgrave.

The Bligh Government seized on the faux pas by the former Brisbane lord mayor, with Roads Minister Craig Wallace labelling it "unbelievable".

"I don’t know what map the LNP is looking at, but you would think someone who aspires to be premier of Queensland would get this basic geography right," Mr Wallace said.

"Not only is Bowen 550km south of Cairns, it’s about 200km south of Townsville."

A spokeswoman for Mr Newman said he was perfectly aware of the geography along the coast.

"More importantly, unlike Craig Wallace, Mr Newman cares about motorists and other road users that are putting up with an unsafe, flood-prone highway under this tired 20-year-old Labor Government," she said.

She said given Mr Wallace’s track record it was not surprising he was "engaging in puerile, schoolyard politics" instead of providing the overtaking lanes that were required.

The gaffe comes as a suburban Brisbane intersection received an unusual amount of air time in State Parliament yesterday, as both sides battled over the critical seat of Ashgrove.

Mr Newman, who must win the inner-west seat in order to become premier, is neck-and-neck in the polls with Labor MP Kate Jones.

The electorate got more mentions than any other in State Parliament yesterday, which this week is sitting for the last time before the March 24 poll.

Mr Wallace – who usually uses his ministerial statements to talk about the Bruce Highway – was instead boasting about the Government’s $90 million upgrade of Samford Rd and Wardell St at Enoggera.

The troublesome spot for Ashgrove commuters would be fixed, thanks to MPs including Ms Jones, Mr Wallace said.

"The hard-working members for Ashgrove, Everton and Ferny Grove have advocated strongly to ensure we get the plans right," he told Parliament.

 


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Gaffe: LNP leader Campbell Newman has been criticised for saying Bowen was north of Cairns during a radio interview.




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