MP pledges swift action on key issues after strong showing
Andrew Powell at the Landsborough-Maleny Road intersection.
By Cameron Outridge
In the wake of a decisive victory, re-elected Glass House MP Andrew Powell is back at work, focusing on delivering his key promises.
Mr Powell secured more than 60% of the two-party preferred vote, marking a significant increase from the 1.6% margin that he scraped in to parliament with in 2020.
“I’ve already hit the office this morning,” Mr Powell said on Monday. “It’s incredibly humbling to be back for another term. My first priority is to ensure that, once we have a cabinet sorted out, the ministers responsible for the promises we made start progressing them rapidly.”
Addressing issues such as youth crime, housing, health, and the cost of living are at the top of the agenda, Mr Powell added. “Queenslanders expect us to tackle these crises, and they will be front and centre for the people of Glass House.”
Mr Powell said the LNP had comprehensive plans in place to address the issues, including measures to strengthen community safety. “We have detailed policies around these challenges. There’s ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’, but there’s much more than that. We’ll have legislation in Parliament before Christmas to give the police and the judiciary the laws needed to keep the community safe. We’ll also work to retain and attract more police officers and support them in their duties,” he said.
Mr Powell said housing availability and affordability were key concerns raised by constituents during the campaign. “Housing is a massive issue here—there’s just no housing available, and very few rentals. The prices have jumped extraordinarily, partly due to supply issues but also because it’s simply a wonderful place to live,” he said.
Beyond addressing statewide issues, Mr Powell highlighted the commitments made specifically for the Glass House electorate, including major infrastructure projects. “I’ve made three big commitments as part of my election around local infrastructure,” he said. “We have $7 million on the table for the intersection of Maleny-Landsborough and Maleny-Montville Road, a $10 million package for intersection upgrades on the D’Aguilar Highway, and $1 million to start planning for improvements on Mt Mee Road between Ocean View and Dayboro.”
These infrastructure projects are a priority, and Mr Powell believes they will be easier to execute now that the LNP is in government. “The department will already have heard of these election commitments and will have started preparing to deliver them,” he said.
Reflecting on the swing in his favour, Mr Powell said that it was largely due to voters’ desire for change. “I put that down to people in Glass House, like the rest of Queensland, wanting change. It’s not because of Andrew Powell—it’s because David Crisafulli and the LNP offered an alternative to a tired Labor government that was seeking a fourth term,” he said.
Mr Powell has represented Glass House for nearly 16 years, and this will be his sixth term as the local member. “It’s incredibly different to be in government versus opposition. Under a Labor government, funding and infrastructure upgrades in LNP-held seats often dry up,” he said. “We’re ready to play catch-up in the areas that have been neglected.”
Mr Powell spoke warmly of the region. “I represent the best part of Queensland and probably the best part of Australia. It’s a community of communities, 26 different ones, each with its quirks and wonderful traits. You couldn’t ask for anything more as a member of Parliament,” he said.