Qld: Beattie promises a strong and talented government

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2001
Qld: Beattie promises a strong and talented government

BRISBANE, Feb 11 AAP - Queensland would have a strong and talented government if Labor
was re-elected next Saturday, despite the loss of three members forced out because of
electoral rorting, Premier Peter Beattie said tonight.

Mr Beattie told Channel Ten's Meet the Press program that the Shepherdson inquiry into
electoral fraud had put the cleaners through the Labor Party and the party had deserved
it.

"Eighteen people have either been expelled or thrown out of the Labor Party and a number
of others, 16 in fact, still have to appear before an independent inquiry," Mr Beattie
said.

But he again denied any knowledge of electoral rorting within the party, either as
Premier or during his time within the party organisation.

Mr Beattie said it was impossible for any party leader to know of electoral rorting
because of the secret nature of enrolments.

"This happened through a small percentage of people acting secretly and nobody knows
that the person next door is improperly enrolled or has enrolled their family. No-one
would know that," he said.

"The real test here I think is what you do about it when you find out.

"I threw them out...I brought in the toughest rules for any political party anywhere
in Australia."

Mr Beattie said the allegations meant he had been to hell and back and he was not aware
of any more rotten eggs in the basket.

"But let me make it clear, if I find anyone else who has been involved improperly in
the future they'll go too," he said.

Asked about perceptions that he was running a one-man presidential style campaign,
Mr Beattie said although his ministers had been campaigning hard, the focus had been on
him because of the nature of the campaign.

"In the election campaign I am saying to Queenslanders, 'yes I am the Premier - yes
I do run a good team - yes I run a disciplined team'," Mr Beattie said.

"I have a good ministry and they are going to perform very well as they did last time.

"We have got the most talented team of backbenchers any government has had for a long
time - a whole lot of new people will come in in this election, hopefully, including a
large number of women - we've got a huge reservoir of talent on the backbench and the
ministry is performing well," Mr Beattie said.

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KEYWORD: POLLQLD PRESS

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