George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
If there’s one thing that can make the LNP’s attack dog melt, it’s this very special visitor to Queensland. THIS IS GEORGE STREET BEAT
You couldn’t wipe the smile off the face of Queensland’s most prominent monarchist Jarrod Bleijie this week.
The Deputy Premier came face-to-face with Her Royal Highness Princess Anne during her whirlwind tour of Australia, when she stopped in at Brisbane’s Gallipoli Barracks.
Mr Bleijie, a devout follower of the Royal Family – and staunch defender against the attacks of Harry and Meghan – posted no fewer than 17 photos of his day with real royalty for the Royal Australian Corps of Signals Centenary.
They reveal a beaming Deputy Premier shadowing Princess Anne, posing in front of her royal Rolls Royce and bowing to greet her.
We’re unsure if he shared his plans for an Elizabeth Line in the Cross River Rail development.
ONE P.R. DISASTER AFTER ANOTHER
Queensland Police Service’s public affairs team found itself in some PR disasters last week.
Outspoken influencer Big Chocky took to his soapbox of 350,000 followers and slammed the team for not acknowledging Remembrance Day on November 11, instead posting about a LGBTQI+ police liaison officer.
The influencer’s video – which amassed more than 17,000 likes and 600 comments – slammed the public affairs team for not honouring fallen Diggers.
The original QPS video has since been deleted, and a Remembrance Day post was shared to Facebook.
In another embarrassing blunder, a social media interview with a cop about her wage sensationally backfired.
The video – posted by job-search app Getahead – showed a forensic police officer answering questions about her job and revealing she made less than six figures.
Commenters were outraged at the low salary, saying she needed to be paid more.
But perhaps the biggest oversight was the lack of any acknowledgment on their social media account of the death of former Queensland Police Union president of 15 years, Ian Leavers.
It’s interesting timing given QPS is currently hiring for a new head of public affairs.
FRIENDLY FOES
It’s kumbaye in the Labor Party ahead of its state conference this month, with the Left and Right factions striking an unusual deal on branch delegates.
The factions have done a deal not to challenge for conference positions, which will affect the outcome of resolutions on the floor.
It’s unusual because the majority Left could have tested its power and tried to win more positions from the Right.
GSB heard the deal was struck because of a split in the Left, which they didn’t want to be tested in the balloting process.
The deal excludes the Blair federal council, which will still be fought over partly because of some prickly personalities out in the Ipswich region.
Apparently the negotiated deal allowed the Right to make ground against the left.
NET ZERO TALK
As the Coalition seems intent on doing what it can to tear itself apart over energy and climate policy, GSB heard a quiet meeting took place in Brisbane.
Treasurer David Janetzki met with Nationals’ Leader David Littleproud at the height of the federal net zero imbroglio.
Of course Mr Janetzki delivered an energy policy for a centre-right government last month with little fanfare, no snipes at the leader and without talk of a party split.
Was Mr Littleproud consulting the master on how it’s done?
Well, not really.
We heard Mr Janetzki spoke about how Queensland was going its own way on energy and emissions policy, before the pair turned their attention to the Clydesdales’ bid for an NRL team in the western corridor.
SPEECH SCRAMBLE
LNP backbencher Rebecca Young was thrown into the deep end on Friday after Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm had to ditch QShelter’s Brisbane event due to sudden illness.
Ms Camm was scheduled to deliver the keynote, but when she pulled out, Ms Young was handed the script and nudged onstage.
GSB hears Ms Young admitted to the room that she only had mere seconds to read over the speech.
It’s the kind of moment every policy professional dreads: walking into a room full of housing advocates armed with nothing but someone else’s talking points and a deep breath.
To her credit, Ms Young got through it even if the delivery had the unmistakeable vibe of a public servant silently praying the next sentence wouldn’t contain an acronym she didn’t recognise.
Governance with a touch of improv.
SPOTTED
Katter’s Australian Party’s Hinchinbrook candidate Mark Molachino has been seen getting around in pluggers on the campaign trail.
GSB heard there’s frustration from the KAP team with the Politics at the Pub in Ingham – a chance to hear from seven candidates – to be hosted at the town’s Royal Hotel on Monday night.
No problem, except the hotel is plastered in LNP paraphernalia spruiking Wayde Chisea.
Apparently the KAP team has written to the Hinchinbrook Chamber of Commerce asking for a please explain.
