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September 15th, 2011 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda - Video
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Queensland Deputy Premier Paul Lucas announces his retirement from politics at the next election.
Deputy Premier Paul Lucas speaks to media and announces that he is retiring from state parliament . Picture: Jeff Camden
Source: The Courier-Mail
QUEENSLAND’S new deputy premier will be sworn in on Friday, a day after Paul Lucas announced he would retire at the next election.
Mr Lucas said he believed his successor, tipped to be Treasurer Andrew Fraser, deserved six months in the job before the election.
The 49-year-old has had some recent health scares, including a diagnosis of epilepsy, and said he wanted to spend more time with his family and improve his health.
Mr Lucas denied he was leaving a sinking ship and would still be involved in the next election behind the scenes.
“Anna Bligh is the best leader we have in Australia and the best leader for the Queensland Labor Party, and I am confident that she will win the next election and she will win it with my 150 per cent support,” he said.
Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman said the move was simply “rearranging of the deck chairs on the Titanic” as he labelled Mr Lucas’ likely replacement, Mr Fraser, “a lousy treasurer”.
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He used the news to “respectfully, on behalf of the people of Queensland” ask Ms Bligh to call an election.
But she refused, saying Queenslanders did not need the state’s disaster rebuild interrupted by electioneering.
Caucus will meet on Friday morning before the new deputy premier is sworn in by Governor Penny Wensley at 10am.
Ms Bligh would not reveal her nomination but Mr Fraser issued a statement saying he was “willing to serve the premier, the state and the caucus in whatever capacity I can”.
Announcing his retirement today, Mr Lucas said his health scare last year was a wake up call that he “can’t … carry the sort of weight that I’m carrying” so he would work on that.
He thanked the people of Lytton, the “best electorate in Queensland”.
He said he couldn’t have asked to serve under two more inspirational leaders – Anna Bligh and Peter Beattie.
“I have been incredibly well served by people who have gone above and beyond the call of duty for me,” he said.
“Most of all, I would like to thank my family. I am immensely proud of my four children.”
He said he was looking forward to spending more time with his children, which sometimes politics makes difficult.
Speaking on the health payroll debacle, Mr Lucas said: “We let people down”.
He wouldn’t name a possible successor as Deputy Premier but said people would probably know who his choice would be.
“I haven’t even contemplated what I’m going to do … but I do want to do some charitable work,” he said, adding he hoped to mentor young indigenous adults.
Mr Lucas has spent 15 years in parliament.
One of Labor’s best parliamentary performers, Mr Lucas, 49, was hit by the payroll scandal during his time as health minister.
He also has been Transport Minister and is currently Attorney-General .
Mr Lucas has been hit by health scares. In January 2010, he was hospitalised after having a seizure.
He was elected to Parliament in October 1996 at a by-election for the seat of Lytton, vacated by former Deputy Premier Tom Burns.
Ms Bligh paid tribute to her right-hand man, describing him as “one of the hardest working ministers Queensland has ever had”.
“His steadying hand as deputy has been crucial for my government as we have worked to create jobs, bolster our economy and improve services,” she said in a statement.
She pointed to achievements he oversaw in his former and current portfolios, including the completion of major infrastructure projects while transport minister and leading Australia’s largest hospital rebuilding program while health minister.
“Paul’s many substantial achievements are too numerous to list he can be proud of his strong record and service to all Queenslanders.”
– Additional reporting AAP
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