Queensland will endure two by-elections just a few short months before the state election in October this year.

Both by-elections have been called because of Labor incompetence. For a state member to not want to hold on for a few months instead of forcing voters to pay for a by-election is quite outrageous.

The results of these by-elections will have ramifications nationally, although they will be fought on local concerns. 

Crime is sweeping the state, and Labor’s catch-and-release youth crime approach is resulting in a reign of terror gripping the state. 

Because Labor can never be trusted with money, households are suffering from cost-of-living pressures as inflation runs rampant through the economy. Families from Inala to Ipswich West will find it hard to feed their families because of Labor’s inflation crisis. 

Pauline Hanson delivered a speech to Master Builders Australia this weekwhich she was thanked by the building and construction industry for her intervention with the former Coalition to create a subsidised apprenticeship scheme, which resulted in more than 100,000 new apprenticeships. 

The industry asked her to make it happen again as it is struggling with a chronic shortage of workers and trade, compounding the difficulties for the industry to increase housing supply and complete vital infrastructure projects.

Supporting apprenticeships is about supporting small business. Encouraging younger Queenslanders to become apprentices is so important if we are going to solve our skills shortage.

Solving our skills shortage will also help take the pressure off inflation, especially in the long term.

We need carpenters, butchers, electricians, plumbers, welders, and builders. All the people that make our economy tick. Small businesses need these skills to expand, invest in new services, and keep the economy going.

The government can only seem to provide free TAFE lessons on ‘computer gaming’ and ‘graphics’ while importing more Uber drivers. ‘Gaming’ has become the 2024 equivalent to the 1990’s ‘Arts’ degree.

Queensland must move on from the mistakes of the Labor/Liberal years. These parties have driven the state into a ditch, staggered off, and then come back every election cycle asking to loan the car again.