Ipswich voted, now hear from your elected MPs

What are your immediate plans for your electorate?

I think we’ve got to continue getting our unemployment down in the area. General unemployment is now 5.9 per cent and reducing the youth unemployment rate of 12.4 per cent will continue to be a major focus.

During the election campaign we announced that Skilling Queenslanders for Work will be extended so an additional 20,000 people in Queensland can get access to the program. That will certainly benefit the Ipswich community and I know we have more work to do in that area.

We’ve really got to start lobbying the Federal Government for the Norman Street Bridge. We need all three levels of government to be in the tent to make this project happen and at the moment the Federal Government isn’t interested at all. We need to keep working on that because it’s an incredibly important project for Ipswich.

What is the most important issue facing your electorate?

In terms of Ipswich I think the main issue at the moment is the redevelopment of the city heart. Even though it’s largely a local government project I want to keep working closely with Ipswich City Council to deliver a new and improved city heart that the community will really embrace and be proud of.

What was your take on the election result?

The most astonishing thing for me was the LNP essentially pulling out of their commitment to the city and siding with One Nation. We saw the Liberal vote get to an all-time low and I think supporters of that party should be very concerned.

What does this win mean for you personally?

It’s humbling. I know politicians say that all the time but it really is humbling to have the support of the Ipswich community. When I was door knocking people let me into their homes and I got a real sense of what I could do to help them.

Some of the issues were big and some of them were small, but everyone was so friendly and warm and welcoming it really showed that people were passionate about their city.

What would you like to say to your opponents?

This is a fantastic community and if you put your hand up to represent the people of Ipswich make sure you have their interests at heart, not your own.

What are your immediate plans for your electorate?

I am adjusting from election mode to normal electorate mode – happily returning to my day to day duties as a State Member of Parliament. I wish to thank the residents of Ipswich West for the honour of being re-elected to represent them in State Parliament, with an increased majority. I am humbled by the faith that they have shown in me.

I also wish to thank my army of volunteers who made phone calls, delivered flyers, manned stalls, put up signs, gave out how to cards and so much more. I can’t thank them enough for their support and, in particular, I would like to thank my campaign manager Madonna Oliver. As well, I would like to thank my family, who are my greatest supporters.

When I was first elected in 2015 I had a wide range of priorities and I have worked tirelessly to address them as well as other projects that have arisen since then.

Some are yet to be completed. Some are State Government projects, such as the upgrade to the Rosewood rail crossing, while some are Ipswich City Council projects funded by the State Government, such as the construction of a library and a new councillor’s office at Rosewood as well as the widening of Old Toowoomba Road at One Mile from two lanes to four lanes.

The State Government projects where I am fighting for funding for include:

• At Rosewood, refurbishment of the historic Rosewood railway station and fix John Street.
• At Tivoli, upgrade to the Mt Crosby Road/Warrego Highway interchange.
• At Brassall, a performing arts centre at Ipswich State High School.
• At Yamanto, a new school hall at Amberley District State School.

I will continue to support Ipswich City Council with their ongoing campaign for the construction of the Norman Street Bridge and a performing arts centre for Ipswich. I will not waiver in my support for my sporting clubs, community groups, show societies, aged care facilities, community centres and schools.

What is the most important issue facing your electorate?

Finding jobs for our unemployed remains the most critical issue facing the electorate of Ipswich West over the next three years. Since the 2015 election our jobs strategy has seen about 134,300 jobs created in Queensland, with unemployment dropping from 6.6 per cent to 5.9 per cent.

Ipswich youth unemployment has decreased from 17.6 per cent to 12.4 per cent with adult unemployment dropping from 8.6 per cent to 7.9 per cent. We are having a positive impact on getting jobs for our unemployed through programs like the re-introduced Skilling Queenslanders for Work, which has seen about 1,000 Ipswich job seekers find work.

I have had a number of Skilling Queenslanders for Work programs in my electorate, notably at Allawah Scout Camp at Chuwar and the Tivoli Drive-In at Tivoli. Our jobs strategy also includes the Back to Work program and will only become more effective with the yet to be introduced Buy Local program.

What was your take on the election result?

I have been mainly focused on the election results in the Ipswich area. I see that all sitting ALP members have been returned, with the Labor candidate for Jordan, Charis Mullen, being elected. My take on this result is that the people of Ipswich approve of the progressive but non-confrontational approach of the Palaszczuk government.

Ours is a government focused on job creation, restoring front line services, improving public infrastructure and supporting the disadvantaged. It is not a government focused on trickle-down economics requiring the sale of major government assets and the sacking of large numbers of public servants.

This is what Tim Nicholls was proposing and that is what has been soundly rejected by the Queensland electorate with record low votes recorded by the LNP, particularly in the Ipswich area where the LNP vote collapsed.

Power prices is an issue that was raised with me a number of times during the campaign. I am pleased to advise that the Palaszczuk government is taking steps to stabilise prices and ensure that we have the lowest wholesale electricity prices in Australia.

What does this win mean for you personally?

The win and increased majority was vindication that my constituents approve on my performance as a State Member of Parliament and the policies of the Palaszczuk government.

As a former agronomist, lawyer and business owner I am not your usual Labor State Member. I come from a background of having served as an office bearer on management committees or honorary lawyer for a wide range of community groups. Consequently, I will not waiver in my support for my sporting clubs, community groups, show societies, aged care facilities, community centres and schools.

As a former local government councillor I have tried to bring the grass roots approach of local government to my role as a State Member of Parliament. I am happy to assist my constituents where I can.

What would you like to say to your opponents?

I would like to thank them all for participating in the democratic process. Anyone who nominates for public office and participates in the election process, at whatever level, needs to be congratulated.

To the LNP candidate, Anna O’Neill, I hope to meet you one day. To The Greens candidate, Keith Muller, I hope you have recovered from your health problems.

To the One Nation Candidate, Brad Trussell, I would like to thank you for how you conducted yourself during the campaign and for your congratulatory telephone call to me on Sunday.

What are your immediate plans for your electorate?

Within the Ipswich part of the electorate there are two key infrastructure projects that I am keen to tackle early. Beginning the planning on Labor’s commitment to the upgrade of the park ‘n’ ride facilities at Springfield Central Station is a priority.

I also want to begin early discussions with any future Main Roads Minister on solutions to the Centenary Highway/Logan Motorway interchange blockage, which I know is an issue for many living within the Jordan electorate.

What is the most important issue facing your electorate?

The population of South-East Queensland is expected to grow from 3.5 million to 5.3 million over the next 25 years. The Jordan electorate will need to accommodate some of this growth – not only in Greater Springfield but also in areas like Greenbank and Flagstone.

How we plan and deal with that growth will be absolutely critical – in the provision of improved road infrastructure, enhanced and new public transport options, new schools, new health services and importantly local jobs while also ensuring that we maintain those vital inter-urban breaks that provide the green lungs of our communities.

What was your take on the election result?

I think many voters understood how important it was to have stability in Queensland. Certainly for a growth electorate like Jordan where jobs, infrastructure and frontline services are so important and need to be delivered, a cobbled together LNP/One Nation government where chaos would reign and side issues would dominate was probably seen as too big a risk.

What does this win mean for you personally?

I began campaigning as the Labor candidate for Jordan more than nine months ago. I did that because many people say they don’t see ‘politicians’ until an election is called and I really wanted to change that perception.

In those nine months I met with community organisations, sporting clubs, church leaders and small business. I attended absolutely every state school P&C meeting and met every school principal.

Our campaign team knocked on thousands of doors and rang thousands more. I live in the electorate with my family but I didn’t want to rely on that lived experience to understand the issues. I strongly believe whether you have lived here for 20 years or moved in two months ago you have a view and your opinion matters.

I was so pleased when people would say they saw me out and about or I had knocked on their door for a chat. The emphatic win in Jordan shows that by working really hard, being authentic and being willing to listen and learn will always resonate with voters and with the community at large.

What would you like to say to your opponents?

I would like to congratulate all of the candidates on the strong campaigns they ran and the respectful and friendly way those campaigns were conducted. It is clear that we all have the best interests of the community at heart and that really showed through.

As the elected member my door will always be open to my ‘opponents’ because despite our differences, I believe we can sometimes put politics aside and work collaboratively on making our electorate a better place to live.