Premier Bligh put on the spot

The Premier stood up to a public grilling with her cabinet by her side.

CHRIS ISON

THEY were angry and they wanted to know why Anna had let them down.

Why had she introduced fluoridation? Why didn’t she dissolve parliament and call fresh elections? Why didn’t she hold a referendum on the sale of assets? Why hadn’t she compensated Rockhampton Regional Council for the costs of amalgamation? Why had she allowed electricity prices to rise by so much?

One man wanted to know why his driving licence had been suspended when his only crime had been refusing to vote.

He didn’t vote because he didn’t believe any of the politicians and didn’t trust them. When his $30 fine had arrived he refused to pay it “on moral grounds” but there had been no warning his right to drive would be taken away, he said.

“You should have paid your fine or cast a protest vote,” was the response.

For about 40 minutes the Premier stood and smiled and gave answers, flanked by local MPs Paul Hoolihan and Robert Schwarten and members of her Queensland cabinet.

And she gave the impression that she was actually enjoying herself.

The school hall was overflowing for this very public grilling of the state’s leading politician and she started by telling them that the region was going from strength to strength.

“There are great opportunities for jobs growth and prosperity,” she said, announcing that her government had presided over a total spend of $1.2 billion on major projects to ensure that prosperity. She cited the work under way at Rockhampton Hospital, the new Yeppoon Hospital and investment in TAFE, the Yeppoon water pipeline, locomotive upgrades and improvements to the Capricorn Highway between Rocky and Duaringa.

She defended the sale of assets.

And then it was the public’s turn to put her on the spot.

Cr Glenda Mather was the first to raise her hand with a series of questions on fluoridation, in particular a document Ms Bligh signed in October 2008 giving a personal guarantee to provide financial compensation to anyone suffering ill health as a result of the controversial policy.

“Do you accept you signed that pledge?” said Cr Mather, who stressed she was attending the meeting in a private capacity.

The Premier agreed that she had and said the scientific evidence was strong that fluoride improved teeth quality, especially in children.

If anyone had an established proven case that they had been harmed they should put it to a lawyer and make a claim, the Premier said.

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