Qld leaders debate cancelled over schedule

A key debate of the Queensland election campaign has been cancelled after Labor and the Liberal National Party couldn't agree on when to hold it.

QUEENSLAND ELECTION 2017

Annastacia Palaszczuk and Tim Nicholls will no longer hold a debate at the Queensland Media Club. (AAP)

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls won't face off in one of the traditional debates of the election campaign after failing to agree to a date.

The Queensland Media Club debate is usually held in the last week of the campaign, however Labor and the Liberal National Party wanted it held on different days.

"Obviously they're very busy, especially in the final week of the campaign, and their schedules didn't match up," a QMC spokesman told AAP.

Instead, the club will host both leaders separately in the final week before the November 25 poll, where they will each give a speech and take questions from journalists.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk released a statement on Friday saying the debate was a regular part of Queensland election campaigns.

"This is the traditional election-eve debate between the premier and the leader of the opposition. I participated in this debate with Campbell Newman in 2015," the premier said in a statement

"The Queensland Media Club have advised my office that Mr Nicholls is unavailable to participate in the debate."

A spokesman for Mr Nicholls told AAP they were informed by the QMC the event would be held on Tuesday November 21, but Labor had insisted on Friday November 24.

The spokesman accused Labor of trying to "hide" the premier from scrutiny.

The debate is traditionally held the Friday before an election as a final opportunity for the leaders to address each other and make their pitch to voters.

Details are still being finalised for the other election debate, the Sky News Courier Mail People's Forum, which is earmarked for next Thursday.


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Source: AAP



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