Peter Gleeson: QBCC departure lounge is filling up fast

The revolving door at the Queensland Building and Contruction Commission continues, with a senior manager leaving the troubled building watchdog.

The exodus continues from the QBCC, with long-term media and government relations manager Chris Reid seeking greener pastures at the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission.

Reid, a former Channel 9 producer who takes up his new post at the QRIC next week, has been in the hot seat at the embattled building watchdog for five years, trying to quell a tsunami of negative publicity, as well as dealing with the revolving door of staff working for dud Palaszczuk government Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni.

Word out of 1 William St is that de Brenni’s senior media adviser, former News Corp journalist Dan Knowles, has quit after only a short spell, and his chief-of-staff Melissa Hallam won’t be coming back from long service leave.

Former Courier-Mail journalist Dan Knowles has apparently quit as Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni’s senior media adviser.

Dick’s a real comedian

And here were we thinking Treasurer Cameron Dick was the David Copperfield of Queensland politics, the master illusionist when it comes to tricking up the numbers.

In fact, he’s now the Jerry Seinfeld of state politics, putting the master comedian to shame at last week’s budget.

After saying 26 times in the lead-up to the last election that there would be no new taxes under a re-elected Palaszczuk Government, he whacks increased taxes on coalmining companies, corporate bookies and big businesses.

But Mr Dick says they are levies, not taxes, saying voters understood all along what he was actually saying – that he would only hit the rich with new taxes, not the poor. He said it with a straight face. Seriously.

Las Vegas beckons for a funny magician. Any ideas on his stage name?

Greg Norman and wife Kirsten Kutner at the LIV Golf Invitational at The Centurion Club in St Albans, England, this month. Picture: Matthew Lewis/Getty

The Links in the mix

With the Greg Norman LIV golf tour backed by the Saudis gaining momentum, there’s a strong push for the US and European tours to combine and add at least one major tournament in Australia.

It’s understood Aussie officials are pushing Royal Melbourne and The Links at Hope Island as the courses for the Down Under leg.

Wacol site is a no-go

Harness heavyweights have rejected Racing Queensland’s plan for a new site at Wacol.

It would have been wedged between the prison and a mental-health facility. Might be a more appropriate site for a new Parliament House.

Brown’s new media gig

Expect former Warriors coach Nathan Brown to bob up in a media role soon.

Clive Palmer’s second, bigger yacht cost him $80m. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled

Clive’s shipshape with $80m boat

Billionaire Clive Palmer has spent the past few weeks on his smaller luxury yacht cruising the Whitsundays.

The smaller vessel is only worth $35m. His new boat, moored at Southport, set him back $80m. Both have Michelin chefs on board for Clive’s healthy appetite.

Originally published as Peter Gleeson: QBCC departure lounge is filling up fast