Patrick Condren

Tweet-spin

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:25:49 -0800

There's tweets, twitscoop, twits and even twitterific.

I'd like to add tweet-spin. ...

Love and war

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:53:20 -0800

When it comes to politics is it all fair in love and war?

LNP deputy leader Mark McArdle has demanded an apology from Labor after it's latest attack ad went to air. It targets him and his role in a failed enterprise on the Sunshine Coast.

Anna Bligh says it's fair "it goes to the question of leadership, it goes to the question of character of judgement, these are legitimate questions as we go to polling day. ...

The final countdown

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:38:56 -0800

After 22 days of low profile, lacklustre and downright weird campaigning the outcome of the Queensland election hinges on the final four days.

It seems voters haven't or can't make up their minds. Do they stick with the devil they know. A Labor Party which has shown itself to be unable at times to respond to the electorates needs. A party which has ignored for too long problems in health, education and roads. ...

Crossed eyes all round

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:59:41 -0800

During election campaigns, politicians hold one, sometimes two, media conferences a day.

Then there's the shopping centre walkabouts and the radio interviews and ... well, you get the drift.

Basically they have to do a helluva lot of talking. But Borgspeak has hit new heights, or perhaps that should be lows. ...

Economic attacks

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:55:10 -0800

A day after announcing plans to slash $1b from the public service, Lawrence Springborg now reckons he'll have the budget back in surplus by 2012.

Thanks to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) the budget will go more than $3b into deficit next financial year.

Mr Springborg admits that the GFC is a "contributor" to the state's financial woes but "things go in cycles" and "over the budgetry cycle" an LNP Government would have us back in surplus. ...

Still waiting...

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:36:27 -0800

Isn't it amazing how an election focuses a political party's attention?

Especially one that's trying for a fifth term in office on the back of poor records in health, infrastructure and education.

Last week I spent two days trying to find out how many Queensland Health Department owed homes had had their security upgraded under an urgent plan ordered by Minister Stephen Robertson nine months ago. ...

Bloody boring

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:07:40 -0800

The first week of the campaign is over. And the word that best sums it up so far is. Boring. No make that two words. Bloody Boring.

Apart from some silly singing and dancing by opposition leader Lawrence Springborg the most exciting thing to happen was... No that was it.

Anna Bligh wants to make this Queensland election about the economy. She sure as eggs wouldn't want anyone to focus on Labor's record on health. ...

Funny things elections

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:24:28 -0800

They are hilarious, unless you actually happen to be covering one especially in the heat of a Queensland summer like I am at the moment.

It's the little things that are the most annoying like trying to find out where you going to be. Not next week, not in two days' time but tomorrow.

So paranoid are the campaigns that they refuse to give out travel details until the very last minute. ...

An early election blow

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:03:33 -0800

Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg has suffered an early blow in his third bid to become Premier.

Former LNP rising star Stuart Copeland has announced he'll stand as an Independent. Mr Springborg couldn't find a new seat for Mr Copeland after his was abolished in the recent redistribution.

He'll now go toe-to-toe with former colleague Ray Hopper. ...

Clearing the decks

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:35:03 -0800

Queensland is on election alert. Two senior Labor MPs have decided not to contest the next election - taking the total so far to four.

But expect more to follow.

One of those not going around again is Education Minister Rod Welford.

Anna Bligh is is yet to announce a date, although March 28 is the most likely at this stage.

Mr Welford though had other ideas.. ...