Qld: Beattie shrugs off slur

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2000
Qld: Beattie shrugs off slur

(EDS: ATTENTIONING YOU TO LANGUAGE IN FIRST TWO PARS.)





Queensland Premier PETER BEATTIE says he doesn't mind if right-wing journalists call
him a complete dickhead for complaining about skyrocketing petrol prices.

In a syndicated article printed in News Limited newspapers today, economics commentator
TERRY MCCRANN said Mr BEATTIE'S recent comments about fuel pricing had showed all Australia
he was a complete dickhead.

Brisbane's Courier-Mail newspaper did not include the derogatory term in its version
of Mr MCCRANN'S comment piece, instead substituting a reference to dim-witted American
cartoon character HOMER SIMPSON.

But the Queensland premier has shrugged off both insults saying he'd been kicked around
by experts and one more insult wouldn't hurt him.

Mr BEATTIE says Mr MCCRANN had shown a surprising lack of understanding about the effect
of the GST on petrol prices in his article.

However, he says Mr MCCRANN did get one thing right-- and that was acknowledgement
that the GST had pushed petrol prices up by 2.4 cents a litre.

Opposition leader ROB BORBIDGE later refused to buy into the debate, merely pointing
out that the term used by Mr MCCRANN was unparliamentary.

AAP RTV bja/sc/jn

KEYWORD: PETROL QLD BEATTIE (BRISBANE)

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