Qld: Flegg says coalition can't rely on Beattie failures to win

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2007
Qld: Flegg says coalition can't rely on Beattie failures to win

By Evan Schwarten

BRISBANE, Aug 29 AAP - Queensland Liberal leader Bruce Flegg says the coalition can't
rely on the Beattie government's failures to win office.

His comments came as Queensland's 25 state coalition MPs prepare to gather on Bribie
Island, north of Brisbane, from Friday to Sunday for a strategic planning meeting.

The meeting comes almost a year after the 2006 state election, where the coalition
again failed to gain any significant ground on the the Beattie Labor government.

Dr Flegg said today the Liberal and National parties needed to lift their performance.

"It'd certainly be foolish to sit back and think 'Well, we're here, the Beattie government
will blow itself up and people will come to us'," Dr Flegg told reporters in Brisbane

"People want to see us do the work and provide that alternative."

However, he listed an agreement between the parliamentary wings of the two parties
struck earlier this year as one of the coalition's best recent achievements.

The gaffe-prone leader admitted there was room for improvement in his own performance,
but declined to outline specific flaws.

"There are always things you can do better ... there are things that I am happy with,
that I think we have done quite well, but there are things I think we can improve as well,"

Dr Flegg said.

Dr Flegg's leadership has been under a constant cloud of speculation since he ousted
Bob Quinn a week out from Premier Peter Beattie calling the election.

Liberal figures have suggested the party room is locked at four-all over a leadership
change to Clayfield MP Tim Nicholls.

Dr Flegg declined to comment on whether he expected a challenge this weekend.

"We've dealt with this that many times, I'm not going to go there again," he said.

Mr Nicholls also declined to comment on the potential for a leadership spill.

"It's not a matter that should even be raised in the public domain," he said.

"It's a get-together of the MPs. I don't propose commenting on it."

AAP ews/pjo/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: LIBERALS QLD

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