George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip

Whispers are mounting one of Annastacia Palaszczuk’s closest allies – and one of the government’s most experienced operators – is about to call it quits. THIS IS GEORGE ST BEAT

Welcome back to George Street Beat for this election year.

Since we last met two Labor MPs have called it quits and tension is slowly building before the new-look government returns to face the brutal theatre of parliamentary question time.

ROCKET MAN

December’s leadership change up-ended the ministerial hierarchy, with backers of Premier Steven Miles moving higher in the pecking order while his rivals slid down.

It also caused a shuffle in the Tower of Power at 1 William St, with the departure of Annastacia Palaszczuk resulting in most ministers moving up a level.

The ascension of one freshly-minted Tourism Minister Michael Healy has left us scratching our heads, however.

Mr Healy, the straight-shooting Cairns MP just days into his ministerial career has rocketed straight to the top of the Tower of Power, sharing an office on level 39 with Deputy Premier Cameron Dick.

He’s higher than everyone except the Premier, scoring better views than more senior colleagues Grace Grace on level 38, Shannon Fentiman and Yvette D’Ath on 37 and Meaghan Scanlon and Mick de Brenni on level 36.

Tourism Minister Michael Healy has scaled to the upper floors of the Toweer of Power, above everyone except the Premier.

Notably, Ms Scanlon – a big winner from the leadership change – occupies the office of her partner, booted transport minister Mark Bailey.

We’re told the addition of a minister meant space in the tower, which opened in 2016, was tight – hence Mr Healy’s quick rise to the top.

The leadership change will also up-end the parliament’s seating plan, which Clerk Neil Laurie hasn’t finalised – keeping us in suspense.

Former ministers Mr Bailey and Stirling Hinchliffe will suffer the indignity of moving from the government’s front benches to somewhere up the back.

BAILEY BOOTED, AGAIN

Mark Bailey has suffered a major fall from grace, being booted from a construction site on the $6.3bn Cross River Rail site he used to be in charge of as a minister.

Mr Bailey visited the Dutton Park Station construction site last week, perhaps to relive the glory days when he was a minister, or otherwise self-appointed “Bailey the builder”.

He’s now Bailey the backbencher and the CFMEU was on-hand to remind him of it.

The militant union politely escorted the former minister off the site when it was discovered he hadn’t secured the appropriate permits to be there.

“Failed ex-transport minister Mark Bailey visited Cross River Rail without the proper permits,” the CFMEU wrote on a video showing Mr Bailey dressed in a government-issued hi-vis shirt and white Cross River Rail hard-hat.

“Bailey left the site after CFMEU safety reps told him he needed to pass the course first.”

The Dutton Park site is just outside Mr Bailey’s electorate and with some time on his hands, we can’t blame him for making the short trek to check on his old project.

Nor it seems can one Labor MP.

“He still thinks he’s the transport minister,” they said.

D’ATH’S END?

Whispers are mounting Yvette D’Ath, one of the government’s most experienced operators, will throw in the towel at the October election amid a turbulent few years in Queensland politics.

Ms D’Ath’s office insists she’s not going anywhere and will run, but some colleagues say the Attorney-General is toying with the idea of calling it quits at the next poll.

She is understood to remain bruised following her dumping from the health portfolio in May by Annastacia Palaszczuk – who she was close with.

Yvette D'Ath’s office insists she’s not going anywhere and will run at the October election. Photo Steve Pohlner

Ms D’Ath was last month stripped of her parliamentary Leader of the House role by new Premier Steven Miles as part of a factional deal to reward Energy Minister Mick de Brenni.

The LNP has preselected Kerri-Anne Dooley for Ms D’Ath’s seat of Redcliffe, which the minister holds on a 6.1 per cent two-party margin.

HIGH FLYER

Finally, Annastacia Palaszczuk can take an international holiday without consequences.

Three days after the former Premier officially exited parliament as the Member for Inala she was spotted by GSB spies flying business class to Canada with partner Reza Adib.

Reza Adib and former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk flying to Canada in January. Picture: Supplied

Canada, especially the ski town of Whistler, seems to be a favoured destination for powerful Labor Party women – with Jackie Trad and Shannon Fentiman controversially enjoying time in a luxury apartment on the slopes in 2019.

BART’S BRAIN FART

New Transport Minister Bart Mellish faces an uphill challenge convincing Queenslanders he can get the rampant cost blowouts overseen by his predecessor Mark Bailey under control.

So it was a little unfortunate the Minister managed to pull off not one, but two errors in what seemed like the most basic job for a politician.

The Member for Aspley was left a little red-faced when the first run of annual calendars sent out last year with his face plastered all over them had the completely wrong year – 2023 instead of 2024.

Transport Minister Bart Mellish. Photo: Patrick Woods.

But then if that wasn’t enough of a facepalm moment, attempt No.2 had a date in the middle of the year twice – putting out the entire rest of the month.

Let’s hope Mr Mellish keeps a bit of a closer eye on those every-skyrocketing transport budget figures than he does with junk fridge calendars.

ALL SMILES

He might be the new Premier but we’ve heard Steven Miles is not one for playing hard to get – not yet, anyway.

Reportedly unhappy with how a certain media report came up, the Premier dished out his personal phone number while on the road recently to the gaggle of local reporters, telling them to call him directly with any issues.

We applaud Mr Miles’ transparency – and certainly can’t recall the former Premier doing anything of the like.

Spot the backwards jersey: An artist’s impression of the north eastern view as the major revitalisation of Woolloongabba and The Gabba Stadium was announced ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Supplied.

OLYMPIC FAIL

Speaking of little failings, concerns about Brisbane’s ability to build Olympic Games infrastructure runs deep and there are new concerns of the Games struggles.

One eagle-eyed GSB reader pointed out the government-commissioned artist impression of a new Gabba stadium has the Socceroos’ jersey back-to-front … four times.