Child protection tops Qld poll agenda


Queenslanders will go to the polls on February 7, with the issue of child protection at the forefront of the campaign.

Premier Peter Beattie's Labor government has been rocked by a Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) inquiry report which found it had failed to adequately protect children in foster care from abuse.

Mr Beattie announced the election date after a week spent setting in train reforms recommended by the CMC.

He took political observers by surprise by announcing a 26-day election campaign as he and Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg were still officially on holidays.

The premier said he could not afford to delay the election or the changes to the child protection system any longer.

"I'm not prepared to put children second - this is about putting children first," Mr Beattie told reporters.

Announcing his pitch for a third term, he said while the government had achieved the best unemployment record in two decades and improved health and education services "there is much unfinished business I want to complete".

"We will not be resting on our laurels - we expect the campaign to be tough and very close," Mr Beattie said.

Labor currently holds 66 seats in the 89-seat parliament, with the Nationals holding 12 and the Liberals three, two of whom are retiring at this poll.

There are also six independents and two One Nation MPs.

Mr Springborg, who had to hastily book a flight from his property at Yelarbon, in the state's south-west, to start campaigning in Brisbane, welcomed the poll announcement.

He said voters could now get rid of a government that "turned a blind eye to child abuse for six years".

Mr Springborg said the government had not delivered on hospital services, had broken its promise of "no new taxes" by introducing the ambulance levy and hidden evidence of ministers rorting their car allowances.

"I believe that we can win but it will be the most significant turnaround in Australian political history. We have to win 30 seats to win government in Queensland," Mr Springborg said.

He said Prime Minister John Howard and Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson had been invited to take part in the campaign.

Mr Beattie said he had spoken with federal Labor leader Mark Latham and he had agreed to visit Queensland this weekend to campaign on health reform.

The election will operate under new electoral laws that will, among other administrative matters, force parties to register how to vote cards, and is expected to cost around $10 million.

Electoral rolls will close on January 19 at 5pm (AEST).

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