By JOLENE OGLE
THE derelict houseboats littering Noosa River won’t be removed anytime soon, says Noosa MP Glen Elmes, who has slammed the Labor Government’s lack of economic plan.
Speaking at the first sitting of Parliament on 26 March, Mr Elmes said he couldn’t endorse a motion to express confidence in the Palaszczuk Labor Government because it implied the election was “normal in the sense that the electorates of Queensland have embraced a new government with a suite of policy ideas”.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. “This government really is a policy-free zone.
“This government has snuck into power. It said nothing. It never put its head above the parapet to make sure it was engaging with the community. As a result, it was able to sneak into power.”
Mr Elmes said Labor lacked an economic plan for the future of Queensland, including Noosa.
“It was an LNP government that ended the slide into debt,” he said. “We are now faced with a government that has no policy and, more importantly, has no will to tackle the debt crisis.”
Speaking with Noosa Today, Mr Elmes said the decision to not re-elect a coalition government meant many of the planned works for Noosa would not be carried out.
“There is no $2 million for Noosa River,” he said. “The Labor Government is still bleeding with $4 billion in interest repayments and no economic plan. We (LNP) came out with a plan and the people have not voted for us, as is their right.
“The LNP has been seen as arrogant, as picking too many fights and trying to do too much too quickly. And all of this is true. We were rejected at the election.”
Prior to the 31 January election, Mr Elmes promised a chunk of cash for Noosa, should LNP be re-elected, including $2 million to clean-up Noosa River, $250,000 for works at the Noosa Tigers AFL grounds, and a promise to reduce household costs and drive down the cost of living over a five-year period.
Mr Elmes said despite his lack of confidence in the current government, he will continue to fight for Noosa, with the planned works on Eumundi Road to go ahead as the $2.5 million in funding was secured before the election.
