MP disputes QR sale claims

MP Jo-Ann Miller.

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AN IPSWICH MP has questioned Premier Anna Bligh’s attempt to downplay the role of asset sales in Labor’s federal election battering in Queensland.

Senior Labor figures have blamed the State Government’s unpopularity for the loss of eight seats in Queensland, with voter disapproval of asset sales believed to be a key factor.

Premier Bligh has argued Labor’s election win in the Ipswich seat of Blair – where more than 700 workers are employed at QR National workshops – is proof privatisation is a minor issue for voters.

But Bundamba MP Jo-Ann Miller yesterday claimed her boss was drawing the wrong conclusion. She said ALP MP Shayne Neumann was returned by Ipswich voters because he had taken a strong anti-privatisation stance.

“In Blair, Shayne Neumann came out very publicly against privatisation. I think that’s why he didn’t get a massive swing against him, because people knew he stood up for workers’ rights,” Mrs Miller told The Queensland Times.

And she pointed out that the Townsville seat of Herbert, which also has a large QR workforce, had been won by the Coalition.

Mrs Miller is an opponent of rail privatisation, although she has rarely voiced concerns publicly.

Her fellow state Labor MPs Lindy Nelson-Carr and Dean Wells have called for Ms Bligh’s privatisation policy to be reconsidered at next week’s Labor caucus meeting.

Mrs Miller said it would “appropriate” for the issue to be raised at the meeting.

However, Premier Bligh has already insisted the asset sales will continue.

“I’m not saying that privatisation was not an issue at all, but to think that it was the only issue in my view would be also missing some of the things the electorate is talking about,” she said.

Ipswich West MP Wayne Wendt said he backed Ms Bligh as leader and fully supported her decision to sell State assets.

“We’ll identify what we can take out of the federal election and we’ll learn some lessons,” Mr Wendt said.

Transport Minister and MP for Ipswich Rachel Nolan was not available for comment yesterday.

State Opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek yesterday challenged Ms Bligh to put the asset sales to a referendum if she truly believed she had a mandate for privatisation.

QR National – the coal and freight operation formerly part of Queensland Rail – is on track to be publicly listed for sale by year’s end. Workers have been guaranteed there will be no lay-offs for three years after the sale.