When the budget doesn’t stretch to TV ads. The poor old Queensland Coalition. The Currumbin2Cook election blog reports that the Libs and their country cousins have been forced to build a website where they can run TV ads they can’t afford to buy time for. But not only can’t they afford airtime. They don’t seem to be able to afford new ads. They’re old. That seems to be the case with www.sendbeattieamessage.com. It sure doesn’t look as if it will spark off a viral marketing coup in the last days of the campaign. At least they could afford the site. Next time round they’ll probably be so flat strapped they’ll have to rely on YouTube.

Who’ll be left in Debnam’s team? Liberal Party officials and MPs are angry at the challenges to shadow ministers by MP wannabes in the lead up to the state election. It looks as if three of the most active and effective shadows – Jillian Skinner in health, Andrew Humpherson in justice and Michael Richardson in environment – have been subject to preselection challenges. Despite the wannabes being told that they are damaging the party just six months out from the March state election, only one, Damien Tudehope, Richardson’s rival, has withdrawn.