George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
Is it OK for politicians to block constituents online? Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has weighed in on the modern dilemma. THIS IS GEORGE STREET BEAT
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The Attorney-General has weighed in on one of the more modern dilemmas of political life: Is it OK for politicians to block a voter online?
The response follows a parliamentary petition, lodged by serial petitioner Tony Magrathea, challenging whether elected officials should be allowed to hit the social media eject button. Mr Magrathea successfully sued Senator Malcolm Roberts for $6000 after alleging he had been blocked for questioning his eligibility to sit in Parliament.
Walking the fine political line with all the grace of a seasoned tightrope artist, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington defended transparency and the right to block trolls.
Yes, MPs should engage online.
But no, they shouldn’t have to endure abuse, she said.
“Social media platforms in particular can present unique challenges,” she said, “and it is sometimes necessary to take steps to ensure these spaces remain safe and constructive for all users.”
MANDER MISSPEAKS
It was a big week for Olympic and Paralympic Minister Tim Mander as he marked seven years until the Brisbane 2032 Games.
He went rowing on the Fitzroy River – and was bullied by Premier David Crisafulli about his poor style – held multiple media conferences and a speech.
We can forgive him, therefore, for mispronouncing the name of one of our favourite swimmers, Emily Seebohm.
No, he didn’t drop a C-bomb (even if that’s her Instagram handle).
Mr Mander was speaking about the next generation of Olympians who will be inspired by those competing in 2032, like many were after Sydney 2000.
“I was talking to Emily Seibold. She saw Susie O’Neill,” he told the crowd of around 400.
GSB did find a German tennis player named Emily Seibold ranked No.518 in the world.
The 25-year-old would have been too young to watch Susie win gold in Sydney, but maybe replays on YouTube might also inspire her to want to compete at an Olympics.
Then there’s Rockhampton product Anthony Seibold, the rugby league player turned coach of Brisbane and now Manly (Mr Mander himself once moved in league circles).
The minister committed another faux pas the next day when he introduced “old” Olympic campaigner – now the Australian Olympic Committee’s revered president – Ian Chesterman to a gaggle of journalists.
“Following up from a very young Tim Mander,” a good-natured Chesterman bit back.
MILES’S LOSS IS ALBO’S GAIN
State Labor alumni are proving there’s life after an electoral battering.
The loss by Steven Miles in October didn’t only result in 13 Labor members of parliament being booted, but more than 100 ministerial staffers found themselves out of a job.
While some are gallivanting around Europe, others waited desperately for the political lifeboat that arrived in May courtesy of a victorious Anthony Albanese.
GSB hears Queenslanders are becoming more frequent than frost in Canberra.
Mr Miles’s right-hand woman Amy Hunter – who as deputy chief of staff was highly credited for his strong election campaign – has ended up helping federal Labor giant slayer Ali France establish her electorate office.
Chris Lees, from defeated Labor resources minister Scott Stewart’s office, is now advising Communications and Sport Minister Anika Wells.
Mr Miles’s media adviser Emilia Hutchinson, who joined then Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles’s office after the October election, has been promoted to his chief of staff.
They join Shannon Fentiman’s former spinner Phoenix Campbell and Meaghan Scanlon’s advisor Clare Manton in the halls of power.
BITTER BATTLE
It seems no love is lost between Member for Ipswich Jennifer Howard and her federal Labor counterpart Shayne Neumann.
A quick history lesson: Ms Howard – buoyed by Labor’s gender quotas – revealed she would challenge Mr Neumann for preselection before the last election.
It lasted all of a few days before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese intervened to protect the 17-year MP.
Mr Neumann, whose disdain for Ms Howard is well-known around western Labor circles, used his first speech of the new parliament to pay tribute to almost every Ipswich resident except her.
“I want to thank local state Labor MPs, Wendy Bourne, Charis Mullen and Lance McCallum,” Mr Neumann said.
To be fair, we wouldn’t expect the veteran federal MP to thank Ms Howard, considering she refuses to acknowledge him.
As far as GSB can tell, Ms Howard didn’t mention Mr Neumann by name at all during the campaign, but instead referred to his commitments as those made by “federal Labor”.
SMELTER SNUB
The looming closure of Glencore’s copper smelter has been a burning issue this week.
Outside the Mount Isa site on Thursday, Energy Minister David Janetzki waved his finger at the “disgrace”.
He’s right, but it’s odd considering a visit to the site apparently wasn’t on his itinerary until after GSB asked about it.
However, Mr Janetzki’s office insists it was attempting to contact the Mount Isa Mayor before GSB was asking questions about his itinerary.
When we questioned whether Ms Janetzki would actually meet with Glencore or visit its assets during his trip, just weeks before the mining giant was expected to make a major commercial decision affecting thousands of jobs, his office said the itinerary was still being finalised and declined to confirm any meeting.
GSB’s well-placed source said the state government submitted a request through Mount Isa City Council for Mr Janetzki to tour the site with Mayor Peta MacRae on Thursday morning after GSB issued questions.
Perhaps it’s a coincidence, with Mr Janetzki’s office rubbishing any suggestion they wouldn’t visit the city’s largest private employer.
To be fair, Mr Janetzki has been preoccupied crafting a playlist for his 1000km road trip from Townsville to Mount Isa across the North West Minerals Province.
In a post to social media he is seen belting out AC/DC, John Farnham, Oasis and Billy Joel in between some opera classics.
LEVEL DOWN
It’s five years overdue, but the parliament press gallery is finally packing up its tripods and notepads for a long-overdue upgrade – moving into a purpose-built media room at the “Tower of Power”.
The sleek space at 1 William Street was originally designed to give Queensland’s media pack a professional, tech-ready home.
But during the pandemic, then premier Annastacia Palaszczuk opted for a larger makeshift room that ticked the all-important “social distancing” box.
That temporary fix, however, somehow became a semipermanent arrangement.
Located on level 41, the Palaszczuk media room had sweeping views of the river restaurants, Moreton Island, golf courses and Brisbane Airport – all the places the overworked press gallery would prefer to be.
Now, with Premier David Crisafulli eager to reset the optics, the downstairs migration is finally happening.
It might have had more false starts than a Bruce Highway upgrade, but better late than never.
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