Rudd crying crocodile tears on forced council mergers

8th October 2007The Queensland Coalition has accused Federal Labor Leader Kevin Rudd of
“crying crocodile tears” on forced council amalgamations following
revelations he only met with the former Premier once to discuss the
issue.

In a Question on Notice, the Coalition sought details on how many
meetings, emails, letters, faxes or phone calls Mr Rudd made to the
former Premier in an attempt to overturn forced council amalgamations.

In the answer tabled in State Parliament this week, it was revealed Mr
Rudd only met with the former Premier once – on 16 May 2007 – to discuss
forced council amalgamations.

State Coalition Leader Jeff Seeney said Kevin Rudd was being “two faced”
on forced council amalgamations and was not really serious about getting
his State Labor colleagues to change their minds.

“While Kevin Rudd has been eager to tell the media how he believes
council amalgamations should be voluntary not compulsory, it appears he
hasn’t been that eager to lobby the State Labor Government to make it
happen,” Mr Seeney said.

“The new Premier Anna Bligh says she will keep pursuing her Government’s
forced council amalgamations plan so Kevin Rudd needs to tell
Queenslanders whether he is actually going to try and change her mind or
whether he has given up.

“I suppose at least Mr Rudd’s one meeting on forced council
amalgamations is one more than he had on the Traveston Crossing Dam.
Despite claiming a year ago he wanted to be briefed on the controversial
dam, Mr Rudd has never had a personal briefing or meeting with the State
Labor Government about the Traveston Crossing Dam.”

Mr Seeney said the revelations showed Kevin Rudd was more about style
than substance.

“Despite all his talk, Kevin Rudd has demonstrated he will be weak as
water when it comes to standing up to his Labor mates in the Queensland
Government even when he thinks they’re wrong,” Mr Seeney said.

Media Contact – Jeff Popp 0438 153 857