LIB – NATS TO FORCE DAYLIGHT SAVING ON NORTH QUEENSLAND

Revelations that Liberal – National Party MP’s were being "coached" in how not to respond to questions on daylight saving show that they have an agenda to introduce the time change should they win next year’s state election, Thuringowa MP and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland Craig Wallace said today.

"Anna Bligh has said repeatedly she will not introduce daylight saving but the conservatives are standing "astride the barbed wire fence".

"Today we’ve learned that their MP’s have been given a cheat sheet saying that daylight saving was a "geographical issue," Mr Wallace said.

"That means with most of their MP’s coming from South East Queensland, there is now no doubt that the Liberal – Nationals will force North Queenslanders to suffer daylight saving should they win the election.

"When this so called new party was formed a couple of months ago Gold Coast MP’s like Ray Stevens said that one of the first things that he would be pushing was for the change of time.

"With the support of North Queensland residents I have fought daylight saving for many years, indeed one of the biggest e-petitions ever presented to Parliament was one that I sponsored opposing daylight saving".

Mr Wallace said that the Liberal – Nationals were deliberately keeping a low profile on many questions like daylight saving because they were scared to debate the issues with the people of Queensland.

"I call on the Liberal – Nationals to come clean with their plans for Queensland especially when it comes to things like daylight saving.

Anna Bligh has stood up for regional Queenslanders – where are the conservatives?"

Media contact: Minister Wallace’s office, 3896 3688.