Queenslanders have sent a clear message to the Newman and Abbott Governments that they will not sit back while health, education, public services and workers’ rights are attacked.

ACTU President Ged Kearney said nurses, teachers, doctors, paramedics and public servants were just some of the tens of thousands of Queensland workers that made their voices heard.

“Tony Abbott is taking Australia where Campbell Newman took Queensland – slashing public sector jobs, cutting services and attacking rights at work,” Ms Kearney said.

“Whether it’s the GP co-payment, $100,000 university degrees or cutting wages – Tony Abbott is determined to drive down the living standards of all Australians.

“Queenslanders have sent Tony Abbott and the Queensland LNP a clear message at this election – Medicare, wages and rights at work are not up for grabs.

“LNP candidates and supporters licking their wounds today will no doubt be asking their leaders in Queensland and Prime Minister Abbott why they keep failing so comprehensively in the eyes of voters.”

ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver said Australians are not going to stand by while the Abbott Government drives down our living standards and creates an entrenched working poor in our country.

“Just last week it became even clearer that Abbott’s wholesale inquiry of rights at work could deliver cuts to penalty rates, the abolition of the minimum wage, bring back unfair individual contracts and swing even more power to the employers,”  Mr Oliver said.

“We do not want an Australia where seeing a doctor or going to university is dependent on how big your bank balance is, where you don’t have a secure job with a decent wage and where we leave the next generation with less rights than we had.

“That’s why on Wednesday 4 March we are holding nationwide protests to make it crystal clear to the Abbott Government and their big business supporters that we didn’t vote for these cuts and we won’t sit back while they attack our living standards.”

For more details on the protest or to register for updates and details, please visit:http://www.australianunions.org.au/national_day_of_action