George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
A Queensland Labor MP has used a speech in parliament to pay respects to former member for Stafford Anthony Lynham after a sad family loss. THIS IS GEORGE ST BEAT
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George Street Beat extends our condolences to well-liked former minister Anthony Lynham and his family following the loss of their youngest son Eamon.
He was the youngest of Dr Lynham’s four sons and died aged 28.
Dr Lynham’s successor in Stafford, Labor’s Jimmy Sullivan, used a speech in parliament to pay his respects to Eamon – describing him as a popular and beloved young man in a beautiful time in his life.
AWKWARD POSITION AT CFMEU RALLY
At George Street Beat we love it when a politician fronts a hostile crowd to explain their position.
However, we love it even more when there’s a lapse of judgement in their advance team.
State Development Minister Grace Grace, an ageless veteran of Queensland politics and one of Labor’s most senior ministers, popped outside to address a CFMEU rally on Tuesday.
She was caught standing under a CFMEU digital sign which alternated from reading “put Labor in the toilet” to “we break barriers, Labor breaks promises”.
Whoops.
WHERE’S THE FOLDER?
Treasury staff were scrambling in the budget lockup on Tuesday when Treasurer Cameron Dick misplaced his budget folder.
In a room full of journalists, the folder contained budget details, talking points and answers to likely questions from the cynics.
While Mr Dick calmly made his way around the room speaking to journalists, the bulging number of treasury staff panicked to find the treasurer’s folder.
After a good 20 minutes it could finally be revealed, who took it?
GSB can reveal none other than Premier Steven Miles.
He picked it up, left the room and entered the chamber with it before realising.
Breathe easy.
IN THE NICK OF TIME
During the old era of the Palaszczuk government the then-premier and her ministers laid low in their offices during parliament weeks and rarely faced the media gallery.
Now, five months before the election, things have changed.
Government ministers are frequently stepping up to answer questions, while Opposition Leader David Crisafulli and the shadow cabinet are, more frequently, absent.
Contrast a 31-minute budget press conference with Premier Steven Miles and Treasurer Cameron Dick on Tuesday with 36 seconds – one question – from Mr Crisafulli on Thursday following his budget reply.
While Shadow Treasurer David Janetzki did a quick doorstop immediately after the budget, there wasn’t much action from the LNP during budget week.
Mr Crisafulli did turn up on Friday afternoon, in the nick of time, to face questions.
Between Saturday and Thursday Mr Dick held seven press conferences.
As the election nears the scrutiny increases and we hope both sides front up.
ANY IDEAS?
Eager to forget its nine-year history, the government is attempting to position the October election as a contest of ideas for the future.
So, did the quality of debate lift following this impassioned plea from Mr Dick, the deputy premier?
Well, in an attack on the LNP’s health policies, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman tabled a blank piece of paper.
With this blank piece of paper likely to sit in parliament’s strongrooms until the end of time, historians are sure to look back with inspiration.
DICK AND COSTELLO
At the post-Budget Labor lovefest lunch, Treasurer Cameron Dick took a well-aimed jab at the beleaguered former Nine News chairman Peter Costello.
As Mr Dick addressed the crowd of ardent Labor supporters, a question highlighted that not all treasurers enjoyed the economic tranquillity of Mr Costello’s tenure in the early 2000s, when inflation woes were non-existent.
A quick-witted Dick retorted, “well, he’s got plenty of time on his hands now,” referring to Costello’s controversial departure from Nine News after he was filmed attacking a journalist at Canberra Airport last week.
When the suggestion arose that Mr Costello might offer some economic advice, Mr Dick swiftly dismissed the notion with a curt “no chance”.
POWER PLAY
Former Howard Government minister and suspended LNP member Gary Hardgrave has made an astonishing bid for a seat on the Liberal Party’s national executive – but as a card-carrying member of the South Australian Liberals.
The Brisbane-based Mr Hardgrave is among eight nominees vying for one of four Liberal Party Federal Vice President positions — a role which includes sitting on the national candidate review committee.
His candidacy has been backed by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Mr Hardgrave is suspended from the Queensland LNP pending internal investigations over allegations of bullying and intimidation, which came after he raised concerns of alleged branch stacking.
No finding has been made and Mr Hardgrave will defend the claims.
The suspension is likely why Mr Hardgrave has been nominated for the national executive role as a member of the South Australian Liberal Party – a loophole that appears to be above board based on the rule books of both Queensland and South Australia.
Mr Hardgrave declined to comment but said he had been a member at large of the SA Liberals for some time.
LNP members have flagged the move by Mr Hardgrave as weird.
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