Declaration of Maranoa poll on disappointing day for Australia
07-September-2010
Source: Bruce Scott, MP -
Bruce Scott was officially announced as the re-elected Federal Member for Maranoa today at the AEC’s declaration of the poll in Dalby, on a day he said was “disappointing” for regional Australia.
Acting Divisional Returning Officer Gordon Marshall announced that the poll for the electorate of Maranoa had been declared, with Bruce Scott re-elected with a result of more than 57,000 primary votes.
Mr Scott said that whilst he was pleased his re-election was now official, he was disappointed to learn that the Coalition would not form government.
“Despite the Coalition receiving more primary votes and being in front on a two party-preferred basis, the two Independent MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor have decided to sit with Labor,” Mr Scott said.
“This outcome is disappointing for a Coalition team that would have provided far more benefits for regional Australians than a Gillard Labor-Greens-Independent Government.
“Another term of a Gillard Government will mean a mining tax for Queensland, and many communities across the resource-rich electorate of Maranoa will be impacted,” he said.
Mr Scott said he did appreciate that his neighbour, Independent MP for Kennedy, Bob Katter, had announced his support for the Coalition.
“Mr Katter’s electorate shares many similarities with the Maranoa electorate, and I am pleased Mr Katter acknowledged that a Coalition Government would have been better for rural Queensland,” he said.
Mr Scott also said Mr Oakeshott’s and Mr Windsor’s decision would mean that they would be held accountable for the decisions made by the Gillard Labor Government.
“I will continue to work hard as a member of a Coalition team that will keep the Gillard Government and all its members accountable to regional, rural and remote Australia,” he said.
Mr Scott was the only candidate for Maranoa who attended the official AEC declaration of the poll today, where he thanked the hard-working AEC staff in Dalby who processed more than 90,000 votes.
“I would like to acknowledge the staff of the local AEC office in Dalby, who have worked tirelessly over the past two months to organise the many polling booths across the vast electorate of Maranoa,” Mr Scott said.