Why is Newman government stalling on Redcliffe by-election?

Media Release.

Redcliffe residents are right to be questioning why the Premier and the LNP government are stalling on setting a date for the critical Redcliffe by-election and damaging the chances of a new MP being installed in time for the first Parliament sittings of 2014.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mulherin said while Redcliffe residents had been without representation for the past 18 months during the disastrous tenure of disgraced former LNP Member Scott Driscoll, the Premier’s refusal to name an election date meant the lack of a Parliamentary presence could continue well into the new year.

Mr Mulherin questioned the government’s motivation in delaying the election, considering past by-elections over the past decade had been held within a month to five weeks of a Member vacating a seat.

He said it had now been 22 days since the disgraced Mr Driscoll resigned on the eve of being tossed out of Parliament and the people of Redcliffe were right to question what the Premier was planning.

“If, as it has been foreshadowed, the by-election was not held until February 8 the new Redcliffe MP could not be installed in the Parliament before the first 2014 sittings starting on February 11,” Mr Mulherin said.

“That’s why the Premier needs to hold the election on February 1 and that’s why he needs to announce this date now."

“This stalling is not good enough – not for the people of Redcliffe, not for the Parliament and not for democracy."

“Enough is enough."

“The people of Redcliffe have suffered through almost two years of a representative who had only his own interests at heart and ignored the people who elected and trusted him to such an extent that he didn’t bother to show up for Parliamentary sittings."

“But perhaps the bigger question is what is the real reason for the delay – is the Premier counting on other members of his disgruntled and dysfunctional back bench to quit so we will see more by-elections in the new year."

“There are shadows hanging over several of his MPs and you have to ask - is that the real reason for this unreasonable delay in Redcliffe?"

“The Premier allowed Mr Driscoll to remain in office when the writing was on the wall but now he is adding to the pain he created by holding Redcliffe in a pattern of limbo which is spiteful and unacceptable.”

Mr Mulherin said past by-elections had been held within about a month of resignations:

Seat	Former MP	Resigned	Writs issued	By-election
Maryborough	John Kingston	24 March 2003	1 April 2003	26 April 2003
Chatsworth	Terry Mackenroth	25 July 2005	26 July 2005	25 August 2005
Redcliffe	Ray Hollis	21 July 2005	26 July 2005	25 August 2005
Gaven	Robert Poole	28 February 2006	7 March 2006	1 April 2006
Brisbane Central	Peter Beattie	10 September 2007	16 September 2007	13 October 2007

“Once again it’s clear that Redcliffe and the Peninsula area don’t matter to this Premier and this government otherwise a date would have been set at the first opportunity."

“He cannot continue to use this community as a political football."

“There’s no adequate reason for this delay and the people who have had to put up with a missing in action MP and missing in action government deserve much, much better.”