Hunter saga exposes first chink in Premier’s armour

Queensland’s new Premier saw no problem splashing cash for Rachel Hunter to lead a government review despite only four weeks ago waving her out the door with $400,000.

Six weeks into the top job Premier Steven Miles has exposed the first chink in his armour with a seemingly nonchalant regard for taxpayer cash.

Queensland’s new Premier saw no problem splashing an unknown amount of cash for ex-director-general Rachel Hunter to lead a government review on the homelessness sector – despite only four weeks ago cutting short her contract and waving her out the door with a near $400,000 payout.

It was only under persistent questioning from The Courier-Mail that Mr Miles reconsidered whether paying to have her back so soon was such a good idea.

Ms Hunter will now generously – no doubt realising the poor optics of the premier’s original plan – undertake the review for free.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles. Picture: Glenn Campbell/NCA NewsWire

This saga continues the concerns that festered under the Palaszczuk government that, after eight years in power, taxpayer cash is being treated like Monopoly money.

Attempting to draft Ms Hunter for a relatively straightforward review also poses serious questions about the capability of Queensland’s existing 250,000 public servants.

None of them could do the review?

Professor Peter Coaldrake’s 2022 integrity review noted the “overreliance on external contractors and consultants” and demanded a re-empowering of the public service.

Nearly two years on it seems little has changed.

Then Premier and Cabinet Director-General Rachel Hunter during the state parliament Estimates in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Mr Miles has done well in the past six weeks to right the wrongs of the Palaszczuk past and communicate more effectively with Queenslanders.

He’s dealt with successive natural disasters and returned the government to basics – but this Ms Hunter saga has overshadowed the significant funding boost to fight homelessness and is the first significant misstep by the Premier.

As the election draws closer the stakes will grow higher and Mr Miles will no doubt need to sharpen his judgement.