Qld: Labor to launch state election campaign

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2006
Qld: Labor to launch state election campaign

BRISBANE, Aug 31 AAP - Queensland Premier Peter Beattie will be joined by federal Labor
leader Kim Beazley to officially launch the party's state election campaign in Brisbane
today.

Mr Beattie said he would use the launch to unveil his vision for the future, as well
as a $50 million plan to improve literacy.

"Obviously, I will be spelling out our plans for the implementation of the health action
plan, water and education," Mr Beattie told ABC Radio.

"We will also have a program there to encourage grandmothers and senior citizens to
read to young Queenslanders.

"We see that as a way of improving literacy and that's a very important part of building
the planks of the smart state."

Mr Beazley is expected to attack the federal government's industrial relations changes,
which Mr Beattie said would be an issue at the September 9 state poll.

"What Queensland workers are saying to me (is) ... they don't like the uncertainty
of the federal government's Work Choices laws," he said.

Nationals deputy leader Jeff Seeney will lead the coalition's campaign in north Queensland
as Lawrence Springborg comforts his family following the death of his father-in-law.

Mr Springborg abruptly ended campaigning in Cairns yesterday to console his wife Linda
over the loss of her father, Ernest Kullrich, 77, who died at his Ipswich home yesterday
morning.

The Nationals leader is expected to return to the campaign on Saturday.

Labor has pulled its election attack ads from television, but the coalition is continuing
to run its ads lampooning Mr Beattie.

AAP pjo/cjh/sd

KEYWORD: POLL QLD DAYLEAD

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