Qld: Ethics scandals to make for fiery sitting of parliament

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2009
Qld: Ethics scandals to make for fiery sitting of parliament

By Gabrielle Dunlevy

BRISBANE, Aug 3 AAP - Queensland MPs return to the parliamentary chamber on Tuesday
for the first time since the June budget session after a week of scandals ending with
Premier Anna Bligh's popularity plummeting to 33 per cent.

But the government has managed to turn the tables on the opposition.

The Bligh government has suffered several blows to its credibility with both current
and former Labor MPs found to have questionable links to lobbyists and property developments.

These came on top of a troubling Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) report into
police misconduct and an unflattering speech by 1980s corruption reformer Tony Fitzgerald.

A Galaxy poll for The Sunday Mail newspaper found 65 per cent of people believed corruption
and cronyism were widespread in the Bligh government, and gave the Liberal National Party
(LNP) a 59-41 per cent lead on a two-party preferred basis.

However, the LNP will start the parliamentary week on the back foot, so far declining
to match the Labor leader's ban on fundraisers with businesspeople.

The premier upped the ante on Monday, releasing a list of businesses represented at
Labor's state conference this year, and calling on the LNP to do the same by the day's
end.

Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek has also been criticised for seeking taxpayer
funds for up to 15 billboards that feature mainly his picture and the words "Strong Alternative
Government to protect our Queensland Way of Life".

AAP gd/pjo/jfm/apm

KEYWORD: PARLY QLD

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