Kylie Lang: Why Labor’s obvious liabilities are jumping ship or pushed out

Labor is working overtime to disprove its ‘Out the door in ’24’ slogan but I’m left wondering who will be the next man – or woman – overboard, writes Kylie Lang.

Katarina Carroll has stood down as Queensland’s Police Commissioner, following a tumultuous week. Picture: Liam Kidston

It’s no coincidence Labor’s most obvious liabilities are jumping ship, or being pushed overboard, eight months out from the election. Steven Miles was anointed by the unions to suck the party out of the death spiral created by Annastacia Palaszczuk.

New polling by UComms for The Courier-Mail showing Labor and the LNP tied on a 50-50 two-party-preferred vote suggests Mr Miles is doing something right. The question is for how long, and will it be enough?

In any war, there are casualties.

Ms Palaszczuk was first, ousted in December as union heavyweights desperately tried to steady the ship.

She’s barely been seen since, and that’s unlikely to change as Margie Nightingale attempts to retain the seat of Inala for Labor in the March 16 by-election.

Next to ditch the lifejacket was Mark Bailey. After six years (too long) as transport minister – and displays of loyalty from Ms Palaszczuk that were bizarre, even for her – Mr Bailey resigned from cabinet to avoid his inevitable sacking by incoming Premier Miles. Labor had taken too many hits after eye-watering cost blowouts on major infrastructure projects seemed to be regarded by Mr Bailey as no biggie to taxpayers.

Mark Bailey was Queensland’s Transport Minister for six years. Picture: Steve Pohlner

While Mr Miles has given him a new role as chair of a parliamentary committee on education, employment, training and skills, Mr Bailey is no longer a public face of the government.

Katarina Carroll – also a Palaszczuk appointee – is out too, explaining she wants the “air to clear” and not be a distraction.

The Police Commissioner, who will finish next Friday and pocket the remaining $216,000 of her contract, has not announced what’s next but, like Yvette D’Ath, says she’s looking forward to more time with family.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath says she is looking forward to spending more time with family. Picture: Steve Pohlner

I challenge the implication by Police Union boss Ian Leavers that Ms Carroll’s departure is linked to her being female.

“Perhaps if she was a man she wouldn’t get the attention from these other senior police who won’t do their job,” Mr Leavers said, alluding to talk of a revolt from Gold Coast officers.

“Perhaps it’s because she’s a woman they’re treating her with absolute contempt and I think that’s absolutely unfair.”

While sexism exists in the police service – the 2022 Independent Commission of Inquiry into QPS responses to domestic and family violence proved that – my take on all this is that Ms Carroll was dumped on with the widespread failures of all state agencies in curbing youth crime.

She has denied being a “scapegoat” but our government and the judiciary – namely magistrates releasing juvenile offenders on bail – have much to answer for.

One general duties officer in Brisbane emailed me after my column here last week and said politics was hindering the work of frontline police.

“We feel we have no voice and are not being listened to,” he said.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll announces her resignation. Picture: Dan Peled

As an example, the officer (name withheld at his request) said the proposed laws preventing the sale of knives to youths under 16 would “do less than zero to curb youth crime”.

“Knives are in their kitchen drawers at home, in the houses they break into, they are everywhere.

“I’d have loved to ask the Commissioner or (Police Minister) Mark Ryan how many offences involving knives were the knives shown to have been purchased by the offender.”

The officer said such laws were token and amounted to “gaslighting the community” with behaviour that was “100 per cent politically driven”.

No reference was made of gender – which is how it should be.

I’m yet to hear anyone claim Yvette D’Ath is quitting her post because she’s been unfairly treated due to being female. The resounding sentiment is what took her so long?

Former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her successor Steven Miles together in Townsville. Picture: Evan Morgan

Ms D’Ath was a tragic failure as health minister, however, her great pal Ms Palaszczuk doggedly refused to dump her until, finally, she bowed to the powerbrokers who would ultimately spell her own demise.

In May 2023 Ms D’Ath was moved into her old job of Attorney-General but in late January, the newly minted Premier Miles dropped her as Leader of the House for his factional ally Mick de Brenni.

Explaining her decision to quit politics, Ms D’Ath said it had nothing to do with who was premier.

Curiously, though, she first thanked Ms Palaszczuk for “her friendship, leadership and her support” before acknowledging Mr Miles, in less glowing terms.

Out the door in ’24 is a slogan Labor is working overtime to disprove but I’m left wondering who will be the next man – or woman – overboard.

Kylie lang is associate editor of The Courier-Mail
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