From mid-2005, after the revelation of the
Jayant Patel scandal, the issue of health had become a focus of controversy, damaging to the
Beattie government. After several inquiries and industrial disputes, a restructure of
Queensland Health took place, and the state government was at the time lobbying the federal government for more doctor training places in universities for Queensland. Other issues of importance at the election included
environmental management and
land clearing,
asbestos in state schools, the provision of transportation and infrastructure to rural and regional areas, and the management of
South East Queensland's population growth. The campaign started unusually with Premier Peter Beattie denying a general election was about to be called, while residents in some
Gold Coast electorates received
direct mail from the ALP stating that the election had been called for September. At a press conference on 16 August, Liberal leader
Bruce Flegg stated that in the event that the Coalition won government, and the Liberal Party won more seats than the Nationals,
Lawrence Springborg would still become Premier. Other Liberal Party MPs such as
Michael Caltabiano disagreed, as this ran contrary to the coalition agreement signed between the two parties, which stated that whichever party won the most seats would form government. The ALP used this to attack Coalition stability in media and advertising. Flegg was subsequently asked to leave a
shopping centre in the
Redcliffe suburb of
Kippa-Ring for failing to obtain permission to do a campaign walkthrough. Flegg later denied that he had in fact been evicted. On 22 August, Flegg took part in a media conference with
Julie Bishop, federal Liberal Minister for Education, where he endorsed a Federal Government plan for the mandatory teaching of
Australian history in schools. Responding to questions from journalists, he failed to identify the date of arrival of the
Second Fleet (1790), or the person after whom
Brisbane was named (noted astronomer and Governor of New South Wales Sir
Thomas Brisbane). Two sad twists of fate impacted the 26-day campaign - on 30 August, opposition leader
Lawrence Springborg took temporary leave from the campaign after the sudden death of his father-in-law, and National Party deputy leader
Jeff Seeney and Liberal leader
Bruce Flegg continued the campaign in his absence. The death of TV personality
Steve Irwin ("
The Crocodile Hunter") on 4 September in an accident off
Port Douglas, Queensland, took the media's focus away from the election in its final week. Current Treasurer
Anna Bligh has stated the coalition's major election promises of wiping out stamp duty within five years, increasing the first home buyers grant by $3,000 and introducing a 10% per litre subsidy on ethanol-blended petrol will cost $2.4 billion and has blown the budget.
Lawrence Springborg says all his election promises are costed and affordable, with costings to be released two days before the election. So far these costings have not been released. On Friday 8 September, the day before the election, Premier Beattie and Opposition Leader Springborg participated in a "great debate" at the
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, moderated by ABC journalist Chris O'Brien. Although Newspoll and other published polls showed Labor well ahead on predicted two-party-preferred vote, Labor strategists feared that people would vote for the Coalition in a protest vote, expecting Beattie not to lose. They adopted a strategy of denying Labor was in fact ahead. The Roy Morgan poll suggested the Liberal vote had fallen, while the Greens had risen to 8%. == Key dates ==