Premier's Journal
In my journal I highlight the important issues, events and stories I come across in my job as the Premier of Queensland.
Anna Bligh MP
Premier of Queensland
Current journal entries
Previous journal entries
Climate Change
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Tony Blair introduces Anna Bligh's Climate Conference.
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Climate change is the biggest issue facing the world today and as a state, Queensland is among one of the world's highest polluters. Because of our historic reliance on fossil fuels and our sensitive environment, we’re also the state with the most to lose from the impacts of global warming. But, there are many simple ways that we can make a difference and reduce our carbon footprint – and the easiest way is to use less power. Simply turning off the lights as you leave the room, or choosing to catch public transport instead of driving to work, all make a difference.
Queenslanders have already taken up the challenge to become cleaner and greener – and that was clearly demonstrated in our recent 'Big Switch’ campaign. We gave away 1 million energy-efficient light bulbs to Queenslanders right around the state, saving a massive $11 million dollars on our power bills and 72 000 tonnes in carbon emissions. Similarly, through our Climate Smart Homes program more than 105 000 Queenslanders have had energy-efficient upgrades undertaken in their homes.
This week, I hosted the Climate Conference which brought together some of the world’s best experts on climate change to talk about ways government and business can work together to tackle climate change. Former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, addressed the conference from overseas.
Asset sales: Myth versus fact
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Premier Anna Bligh discusses the economic strategy for a stronger Queensland.
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There a lot of myths surrounding the Government's plan to sell five commercial businesses and I want Queenslanders to be armed with the facts.
I understand there are genuine concerns. I've been there myself, having opposed the Qantas sale in the early 1990s.
But having seen Qantas grow to become one of the world's top airlines, employing thousands of Australians, I can now say I got it wrong.
And my vision for the commercial businesses we are selling is for them to grow too.
This week, we began a comprehensive information program providing the facts to Queenslanders about our proposal.
Keeping these commercial business going over the next five years will cost Queenslanders $12 billion. That's $12 billion spent on new coal trains and new wharves that can't be spent on roads, schools and hospital and better public transport.
There's a lot of misinformation around and I want people to be armed with the facts.
New Health and Medical Research Centre for Queensland
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WRI Chairman Martin Albrecht, Premier Anna Bligh and Professor Julie Campbell at today's opening.
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Premier Anna Bligh inspects the Wesley Research Institute's new 'Bod Pod' which calculates body fat and muscle mass.
Today I opened the new $20 million Health and Medical Research Centre at the Wesley Research Institute at Auchenflower.
The institute already has a world-class reputation for outstanding medical research, but with this new facility Queensland takes another leap forward in making our state the Smart State of Australia.
Scientists and clinicians here at this new centre will be focused on preventative health, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and neurology, as well as lifestyle issues such as obesity.
I congratulate the Wesley on their outstanding work to date, and I know that this new facility will give them the capacity to take the next step up in world-class research.
We want to make Queenslanders the healthiest people in Australia, and this investment is a prime example of my government's commitment.
Fire update
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Premier Anna Bligh visits Rockhampton and Bundaberg to inspect fire damage and talk to locals.
This morning I visited Rockhampton and Bundaberg where I inspected fire damage and talked to locals.
Some homes came very close to being engulfed by flames, but incredibly none were lost.
Firefighters on the ground have told me they've never seen anything quite like the fires they've seen this week.
They have done a truly magnificent job in these extreme conditions.
Thankyou to our local fire fighting heroes
Like all Queenslanders, I have been very concerned about the fires that are blazing across many parts of the state.
Our rural fire service have worked around the clock to keep these fires in check under extremely difficult circumstances.
This morning, I arrived back from a trade mission to Russia, India and the United Arab Emirates and went straight into a briefing on the fires.
We can all feel very proud of the fantastic job our local firefighters are doing. A big thank you to our local heroes.
Bringing these fires under control is a big challenge. And from tomorrow, the largest ever contingent of NSW firefighters ever deployed to Queensland will take place.
Our firefighters have been on the ground working tirelessly for a number of days now and the extra help is greatly appreciated.
Read the media release: NSW firefighters to provide relief in Queensland
Carrara Stadium
This week I've released the first images of what the Carrara stadium will look like when completed – and it looks fantastic.
Work will start on this $126 million project as early as next week – my Government has made a $60 million commitment to it.
I have no doubt that this stadium will be a great home for the Gold Coast FC, and a great place for footy fans to visit – including those looking to escape the southern winters and have a nice Queensland holiday at the same time!
This project will support local jobs now, boost tourism and sport and help build the infrastructure that the Gold Coast needs for the future
Providing up to 950 jobs during construction, and anywhere up to 700 jobs for each event, its great news for Gold Coast Aussie Rules and the Gold Coast economy.
History recreated on the new Gateway Bridge Duplication
Today the Deputy Premier and I recreated history at the new Gateway Bridge Upgrade.
We shook hands over the last 3.5 metre gap where the second bridge will come together in the coming weeks, just as Joh Bjelke-Petersen and Russ Hinze did on the original bridge in 1986.
We do things a bit differently these days but the joy at seeing this magnificent piece of infrastructure join up is just as special as it was back then.
We've invested $1.88 billion in this major piece of infrastructure and it will be a great congestion buster for the people of Brisbane.
It will also add to the healthy lifestyle on offer in Brisbane with a pedestrian and cycleway, so I don't think it's too cheeky to say we are doing it bigger and better this time round.
The project is more than 3 months ahead of schedule and is expected to open to motorists in mid-2010.
Premier scores Q150 Orchid
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Premier Anna Bligh with Member for Pumicestone Carryn Sullivan after being presented with the Q150 orchid.
It's beautiful and it's in full bloom. Today I was presented with the flamboyant pink Doritaenopsis Bribie Q150 orchid.
The Member for Pumicestone Carryn Sullivan and I were joined here at Parliament House by the orchid developer Mel Wheeler, a member of the Bribie Island Orchid Society and also the Society's President Judith Carleton and Secretary Lynnette Hauck.
Mel is also Registrar of Judges for the Sub Tropical Orchid Council of Queensland.
He developed 150 of the Q150 orchid by crossing Formosa Ruby and I-Hsin Lucky Girl.
And the Q150 Orchid is now officially registered with the Royal Horticultural Society in London.
In short the state government granted the Bribie Island Orchid Society $6500 towards propagating the orchid for the Q150 October Orchid Bonanza show – on this weekend 10 and 11 October 2009 at the Bribie Island State High School.
As the Patron of the Queensland Orchid Society, it is nice knowing that a stand-alone orchid is part of our birthday year.
I urge people to if possible attend the weekend's show and I wish the society well.
Kurilpa Bridge - stunning!
Sunday's Kurilpa Bridge opening was great. Tens of thousands of people – especially families – took the chance to walk this wonderful new facility.
It is another link unifying the city.
Already it has people talking about what it looks like – a fishing trawler at sea, knitting needles, or even the ties sticking out the top of a bike helmet to keep the magpies away.
I'm sure in time people around the world will be talking about it.
It also changes colour – on Origin nights it will be maroon, on Breast Cancer Awareness nights it will be pink, and on Paddy's day it will be green.
Well done all involved.
Queensland's big birthday bash
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Premier Anna Bligh announces Queensland's Birthday Bash Concert.
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As everyone knows, this is a special year for Queensland - our 150th birthday as a state.
December 10 is the date Queensland was officially proclaimed. To mark this important occasion, there will be a big birthday bash at the Riverstage in Brisbane's City Botanic Gardens.
This is a great opportunity for Queenslanders to join the celebrations. Powderfinger - born and bred Queenslanders - will be the headline act. Another great local band, Custard, will re-form especially for the event. And there will be a line up of other fantastic local talent too.
It's young, talented artists like these that have helped build Queensland's reputation as a rock 'n' roll city.
What better way to top off the Q150 birthday celebrations!
Tackling alcohol-fuelled violence
Today I announced a 12-month moratorium on applications by pubs and clubs across Queensland to stay open into the early hours.
It's in place while a Parliamentary inquiry into alcohol-fuelled violence looks into the links between late opening hours and a problem which is being faced on a weekly basis by our law enforcers, health workers, publicans and families.
We've seen a distinct shift in behaviour in and around our nightspots in recent years – in not only the level of violence but its severity.
Today's announcement comes on top of other initiatives such as a crackdown on early openings and using glass in high-risk venues.
I know most people consume alcohol responsibly.
But enough is enough. As a Government, we must do everything we can to tackle this. I won't let it be pushed under the carpet.
National Broadband Network – getting the best for Queensland
As the ground plan is laid out for the $43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN), I'm determined make the most out of this opportunity for Queensland.
Apart from the chance to roll out broadband into homes around the state, the NBN means 25,000 jobs each year across the country. And anything that means more jobs for Queenslanders has my complete backing!
This week, I had a chance to sit down with the network's CEO, Mike Quigley, to talk about our priorities for the NBN including getting it into schools, hospitals and rural and regional communities.
We are engaged and active on this. I won't let this opportunity pass us by. I want to see as many Queenslanders as possible hooked up to the information superhighway.
Discussion paper submissions close tomorrow
It's been five weeks since we released our Integrity and Accountability discussion paper, and it's still not too late to have your say before public submissions close at 5pm tomorrow.
This process is all about talking with, and listening to, Queenslanders about their views on the way forward.
So far we've had 80 written submissions and literally hundreds of people have taken part in our forums - two online forums and a number of regional forums from Cairns in the north, to the Gold Coast in the south and Toowoomba in the west.
There have been lots of ideas put forward, and questions asked on a broad range of issues from set Parliamentary terms, to an Upper House, political donations and more.
My thanks to everyone involved. Interested Queenslanders have been eager to have their say. And I can give this assurance: my Government will be listening to those voices.
Watch the web Q&A forum videos or read transcripts:
Lifting performance
I want to see Queensland do better in national testing, but I know it's not going to happen overnight.
We've set ourselves a three-year timeframe to improve literacy and numeracy in Queensland schools. In that time, we need to be working a very intensive, targeted way.
This week, we announced our latest effort on this front. Teacher "turnaround teams", led by some of Queensland's best and most senior principals, will be going in to schools to identify problem areas and help resolve them.M
I know there is a lot of great work happening in our schools. But there are some schools that need extra help to improve performance – and that's exactly what these teams will be doing.
You can take the girl out of the Gold Coast…
You can take the girl out of the Gold Coast, but you can't take the Gold Coast out of the girl.
The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd might be the Broncos' number one fan, but I'm backing the Titans.
Today, I visited the team training at Runaway Bay – they are in the zone and ready to play!
Queensland Rugby League history will be made on Saturday night. And no matter what the result, one of our teams will progress to the next round.
I think that regardless of who wins, supporters of the other two Queensland NRL teams will back the team from our great state.
The Titans have had a sensational season this year, winning 11 of 12 home games. In just three years they have gone from newcomers to finalists. What a great start for a new Queensland club!
Web forums
We have just wrapped up the second of two Q&A web forums on integrity and accountability.
It's been great to hear questions on the issues that Queenslanders are interested in - a wide variety of issues were covered, ranging from fixed parliamentary terms, to the reintroduction of an upper house, political donations and yes, even MasterChef.
I'd like to thank the Queensland University of Technology for their support in making these forums happen.
And also thanks to the experts who sat on the panel to take questions alongside myself and Attorney General Cameron Dick.
The panel - including CMC chair Robert Needham, Professor Charles Sampford, Dr Anne Tiernan, Integrity Commissioner Dr David Solomon - brought a wealth of experience and expertise to the forums. Facilitators Paul Williams from Griffith University and Peter Black from QUT did a great job too.
These forums - the first of their kind - were watched by more than 200 people. Queenslanders had a chance to either submit questions in advance or send them in live.
In a decentralised state like Queensland, it's important that everyone gets a chance to be involved and have their say regardless of where they live. I look forward to listening more to Queenslanders' views as we continue our nation-leading reform drive on integrity and accountability.
Celebrity MasterChef
I have recently received an offer to appear on Celebrity MasterChef from the Ten Network.
It's an offer I have readily accepted for a good reason: the chance to showcase our fantastic Queensland produce to an audience of 2 million.
What I'll cook on the day is a guarded secret. But I can guarantee this: it will be uniquely Queensland and I'm keen to hear from Queenslanders about their best recipe tips.
There is no cost to the taxpayer and my appearance fee, which is paid to all participants, will go to a local charity.
This is a great opportunity to showcase what Queensland producers and farmers have on offer. So if you have any tips send me a direct message on twitter. Go to the Premier's Twitter page or email me at thepremier@premiers.qld.gov.au.
Last updated Friday, November 06, 2009
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