Ex-premier Peter Beattie warns statues a ‘pigeon pooing facility’

Jeff Kennett introduced a tradition of building statues celebrating premiers who reach 3000 days in office, and now Annastacia Palaszczuk is set to reach that milestone. Should she get a statue? HAVE YOUR SAY

Annastacia Palaszczuk says she “definitely” does not want Queensland to follow down the path of Victoria and build statues celebrating former premiers who reach 3000 days in office.

The Queensland Premier will on Tuesday celebrate her eight-year anniversary since ascending to the state’s top job following Labor’s victory over the Newman government in 2015.

DOES THE PREMIER DESERVE A STATUE? HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR POLL BELOW

And in only about 80 days, Ms Palaszczuk will reach the 3000 day milestone – something only four Queensland premiers have done before her.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will mark the same achievement next week – which means he will qualify to have a statue of himself built under an honour system recognising Garden

State premiers who serve at least 3000 days in power.

Annastacia Palaszczuk in 2015. Picture: Mark Calleja

Annastacia Palaszczuk this month. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

When The Courier-Mail asked Ms Palaszczuk if she would like Queensland to adopt the same tradition, she said: “Definitely not”.

Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie, who also reached more than 3000 days in office, branded the idea an “obscure, out-of-date practice” and warned such statues would become a “pigeon pooing facility”.

Ms Palaszczuk is now Queensland’s fifth longest-serving premier, trailing only Mr Beattie, William Forgan Smith, Frank Nicklin, and Joh Bjelke-Petersen – who spent more than 19 years in office.

The Queensland parliament traditionally commissions portraits of former premiers that are displayed throughout the parliamentary precinct.

It is up to the former premier to choose the artist.

Former Victorian premier John Brumby with statues of past premiers Sir Henry Bolte and Sir Albert Dunstan outside the Premier’s office in Melbourne.

Mr Beattie insisted the Sunshine State should not take up the same statue-making practice as Victoria.

“The answer is no – unequivocally no, no, no,” the Labor luminary told The Courier-Mail.

“Premiers get well rewarded when they’re in the positions.

“The last thing they need is a statue.

“Statues were big in the 19th century.

“It really is a relic of the past. It should never be revived under any circumstances and I think it would be the source of derision.”

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett introduced the statue tradition in the 1990s. He ultimately fell short of the 3000-day milestone himself by fewer than 400 days.

Four former Victorian premiers are immortalised with a statue – with all of them positioned outside the Premier’s office in Melbourne.