BATTLE FOR NORTH QUEENSLAND

The  strong swing  against the Newman government in Queensland is abundantly clear by  this  front page of  the Townsville Bulletin , January 17-18 , 2015,  based on a  Galaxy poll .  The ALP is  also  riding high in Cairns, further north .

The  Townsville elections are of  particular  interest  because the sitting member  for  Mundingburra, David Crisafulli , who holds two ministerial portfolios, and is no  slouch in  self promotion  due to his  media background, stands to lose his seat to  Coralee O'Rourke . When you  examine the  bad economic  situation of  the Townsville region  it is  hard to see how he , Minister for Local Government and  Community  Recovery , could  possibly retain  his  seat. Despite the huffing, puffing , spin and promises  by  the LNP  in  the never  never  , depending on the leasing of Townsville's port and  Ergon Energy , there is certainly no sign of recovery  in Townsville. 
 

Powerful  pointers :

1. Townsville's unemployment is  the highest , 10 percent  and growing .Youth unemployment  in  the  north  much , much   higher.
2. There are  hundreds of empty  shops  up for  sale  or lease throughout  the Townsville business area .   Empty  premises  in   industrial  estates .
3. Even the Murdoch owned  new  Townsville  Bulletin building  has   vacant space  for lease .
4.  A real estate  agent   told  this writer  that  " every business " in  a well known  part  of  Townsville  is up  for sale.
5. Op  shops  are about the only  growth  industry,one even opening on Magnetic Island. 
6. A person wanting to  buy  cheap , large  storage   bags   could  not find any in  el cheapo  shops, told  by  one storekeeper the shortage  seemed to be due to so many people  packing up  and  leaving Townsville.When New Zealanders were crossing  the Tasman in numbers to get work in Australia, these  same colourful  plastic  bags  they  brought with them  were known as Kiwi Gucci. 
7. The Townsville Bulletin   of  January 15 carried a report under the heading HOUSE OWNERS  SELL UP  FOR LESS,stating tough  economic conditions in Townsville in the September  quarter  resulted in 26.5 per cent of houses selling  at a loss compared with purchase price , even worse for apartments, 37.8 per cent .
8.  Loss making resale  rates for Cairns houses  were  13.8 per cent  and units  43.5 per cent .

 Murdoch's Townsville Bulletin office has empty space for  lease; one of  its staff, Anthony Templeton, the political reporter, who could not stay around to see the outcome of  the  election ,  has  just  left  for  Adelaide  where  latte  is  the soup  de  jour .

Realtors  often chant position, position, position .  In  the case of  Mundingburra  incumbent  Crisafulli  his electorate office in Townsville is  two shops from Cupid's  Cabin, a sexy location . The voter  arrows flying about  Townsville  do not , however,  indicate love  is in the  air for the LNP  - it  is more like the Battle  of  Hastings where  alas  poor  Harald  copped an  arrow in the eye . In  the  case  of  Crisafulli,  despite being a minister of  the  rusting  crown , he  has  a large Achilles heel  attracting  a  quiver  of  darts.