Prime Minister Scott Morrison's campaign for Queensland's Liberal National Party has hit a speed bump after a series of allegations against his local and interstate allies.
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Mr Morrison hit a positive tone on Monday as he hit the TV channels and radio stations to sell his budget, particularly tax cuts, to Queenslanders ahead of the October 31 state election.
But he couldn't resist taking another swipe at Deputy Premier Steven Miles, who he had called "a juvenile" on Sunday.
The prime minister accused him of treating politics "like a reality TV show" in a morning radio interview.
But the LNP campaign took a turn with The Australian's report that state leader Deb Frecklington met property developers in June and boasted about her campaign to open the state borders "in co-ordination with the Prime Minister" .
Dr Miles didn't miss the chance to launch a scathing attack on the pair before an LNP fundraiser on Tuesday.
"Deb Frecklington and the LNP need to guarantee that no dollars changed hands in exchange for that exclusive briefing on Scott Morrison's plans to force Queensland's borders open," he said.
"How many of the donors at their function tomorrow would have benefited financially from Queensland lifting our restrictions sooner, from us lifting our border restrictions sooner at the expense of the safety and the lives of Queenslanders?"
Ms Frecklington defended the meeting, saying health advice supported reopening the border in June.
"The prime minister and myself were on that unity ticket," she said.
The LNP leader is keen to show off her close working relationship with the prime minister but Labor is trying to paint that as a weakness.
Dr Miles again claimed Ms Frecklington would roll over for the Morrison government if she were premier.
"She just does what he says," he said.
Mr Morrison visited the University of Queensland to tour a COVID-19 vaccine lab, but while he was there his white ministerial BMW was splashed with fake blood by refugee rights protesters.
His afternoon news conference on a new federal recycling scheme was sidetracked by questions about NSW Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian's grilling at the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Ms Berejiklian earlier admitted a "close personal relationship" with ex-MP Daryl Maguire, who's in the ICAC spotlight.
In contrast, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk enjoyed a relatively quiet day promising $265 million for seven satellite hospitals in the southeast.
Speaking in the marginal LNP seat of Pumicestone, Mr Palaszczuk said new hospitals would offer renal dialysis, chemotherapy, wound management, and treatment for minor injuries or illnesses.
The hospitals will be at Redlands, Brisbane Southside, Pine Rivers, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Caboolture and Bribie Island.
After sustained questioning she also ruled out former deputy premier Jackie Trad, who could loose her seat to the Greens, returning to cabinet.
Ms Frecklington focused her message on health too while on the hustings in Hervey Bay with a $300 million promise to clear a backlog on surgery waiting lists.
She said there was a waiting list of 56,000 people in February and she would partner with the private sector to reduce that if elected.
"I'm saying there is a need to clean up the system. The system is broken under Labor and that's why we'll come in and fix it," Ms Frecklington said.
Australian Associated Press
