http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/queensland/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-qld-election-decoded/ We’re off to the polls on 24 March. If you’re confused about what’s happening in Queensland with our State election, I’d like to help confuse you more. The biggest complicating factor for the Queensland General Election, which is due before the end of March was the local government elections were due on 31 March. That left Premier Bligh with either dates of 18 or 24 February, or get mixed up in Easter or wait until May and by then she wouldn’t have a mandate. The Electoral Commission Queensland has asked repeatedly for a six-week buffer between the two general elections. To her credit, Premier Bligh has respected that and shunted the local government elections to April or May and scheduled the General Election for 24 March. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-qld-election-decoded/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-qld-election-decoded/#item7608 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coal-seam-gas-a-blast-of-hope-for-rural-communities/ Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coal-seam-gas-a-blast-of-hope-for-rural-communities/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coal-seam-gas-a-blast-of-hope-for-rural-communities/#item7083 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/champion-team-sends-a-champion-bloke-out-in-style/ “Sometimes you just can’t account for champions.” With these words, uttered after Queensland’s first try, Nine commentator and rugby league ego-in-chief Phil Gould summed up why Queensland won State of Origin III, and with it, an unprecedented sixth straight series That first try was so classy. Billy Slater slipped the ball away when held by two players, Johnathan Thurston held the ball just long enough to create confusion, then poked through a beautifully-weighted grubber for Greg Inglis. There wasn’t much room in the corner. Inglis never needs much room. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/champion-team-sends-a-champion-bloke-out-in-style/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/champion-team-sends-a-champion-bloke-out-in-style/#item6232 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-28-06-2011/ Imagine you’re in a smoky, underground bar. Wearing your best beatnik outfit and sipping a glass of burgundy. Then read this poem by “Dash” for this week’s Poet’s Corner…. I’ve seen the ads on TV and I’ve read the news in text How Queensland is beautiful one day and just perfect on the next With golden sand where palm trees swing and boats do bob and sway Where you can sit, sipping cocktails, and dream your life away So I jumped into the car, I thought that’s just the place for me Sitting with a can of beer beneath a tall palm tree With my body tanned and thongs upon my little dainty feet And mangos falling to the ground just there for me to eat feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-28-06-2011/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-28-06-2011/#item6164 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-queensland-care-more-and-nsw-couldnt-care-less/ NSW has the Snowies, Queensland’s got the Reef. We’ve got Byron Bay, they’ve got Noosa. Sydney has the Sydney Opera House, Queensland has, um, the Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach. NSW has the tiny border town of Jennings, pop. 130, Queensland’s got the neighbouring town of Wallangarra, pop. 385. Wallangwhere? Wallangarra, thank you very much, the town which is the symbolic home of the one Queensland commodity which NSW can never seem to match. Passion. Wallangarra is where Qld State of Origin legend Billy Moore grew up. Actually, he was born in Tenterfield NSW, because the base hospital is closer than the one in Stanthorpe, on the Qld side of the border. But as Moore told The Punch this morning, “my Mum assures me I was rushed over the border before the oxygen had time to affect my lungs.” feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-queensland-care-more-and-nsw-couldnt-care-less/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-queensland-care-more-and-nsw-couldnt-care-less/#item6080 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/queensland-best-state-in-australia-discuss/ Monday is Queensland Day, a commemorative 24 hours that has a history older than most white-man milestones in our country. It is older than Federation, older than electricity, but undervalued because we don’t quite know how to celebrate the best place in the world and aren’t big on causing a commotion about ourselves. Queensland Day acknowledges the birth of Queensland in 1859 as a self-governing colony. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/queensland-best-state-in-australia-discuss/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/queensland-best-state-in-australia-discuss/#item5982 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-not-so-goofy-plan-to-rule-the-state-of-brisbane/ As Campbell Newman yesterday outlined one of the more goofy political strategies Australia has seen, there was one stark impression: The bloke himself didn’t come across as goofy. Newman, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, was explaining to reporters how he planned to be the Liberal National Party (LNP) State Opposition Leader without having to actually be in the Queensland Parliament. In about a year’s time he would run for a seat Labor has held for 22 years, and in the meantime a surrogate elected last night would be the official Opposition Leader. But actually, the Opposition Leader would be Campbell Newman. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-not-so-goofy-plan-to-rule-the-state-of-brisbane/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-not-so-goofy-plan-to-rule-the-state-of-brisbane/#item5442 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/julia-and-time-are-off-to-the-palace/ It’s been a long time since I heard anyone bag Queensland the way they used to. Wayne Goss (Queensland Premier 1989 to 1996) introduced a number of reforms to bring Queensland into line socially with the rest of the country and combined with a sudden growth spurt, largely from the interstate migration of people from New South Wales and Victoria over the past 10 years, the sophistication gap between north and south is disappearing. We may not have a Mardi Gras, but froth isn’t spooned onto cappuccinos anymore and salads have moved on from crinkle cut carrots and snowpeas. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/julia-and-time-are-off-to-the-palace/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/julia-and-time-are-off-to-the-palace/#item5422 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/meet-the-man-behind-the-man-who-could-stop-the-levy/ John Tsouroutis has taken a $1 million salary cut to join a crusade to make states look after themselves. He’s now on the relative hardscrabble of an adviser’s pay in the office of independent senator Nick Xenophon. Tsouroutis was managing director of the TIO banking and insurance group from 2003 until 2008 when the commute from Adelaide to Darwin became too much for the family. From his business career he knows how government can force individuals to insure themselves. Just take third party cover for motorists. He wants to make sure state governments do the same thing, rather than expect someone else to pay reconstruction costs after a natural disaster. Tsouroutis was on an elite salary with TIO and hopes to get back on one soon. But he’s got a big job to complete first. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/meet-the-man-behind-the-man-who-could-stop-the-levy/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/meet-the-man-behind-the-man-who-could-stop-the-levy/#item5233 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/when-disasters-leave-us-lost-for-words/ Queensland really dodged a bullet. After the devastating floods of that fatal tsunami inundated the state, the waters had barely receded when it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. Turns out Yasi’s bark was worse than its bite. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/when-disasters-leave-us-lost-for-words/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/when-disasters-leave-us-lost-for-words/#item5051 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Roma, some 600km west of Brisbane, used to be a country town where you could drive your car onto the airport tarmac to pick up friends arriving on the few flights servicing the place. It had a small motel many years ago when I lived there but most travellers stayed at pubs with names such as The School of Arts. The population back all those decades ago when sheep and cattle ruled was nudging 5000. Compared to some of the neighbouring towns such as Injune and Wallumbilla, it was a big place.