George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip

LNP lord mayor turned premier Campbell Newman reckons he knows who the next Labor candidate for city hall’s top job will be.

Brisbane lawyer and small business owner Tracey Price has apparently flagged interest in being Labor's candidate for lord mayor at the 2024 local government election.

The identity of Labor’s potential Brisbane lord mayoral candidate has been revealed by an unlikely source – the former lord mayor himself, Campbell Newman.

“Is this the ALP Lord Mayoral Candidate? Someone certainly is keen …” Mr Newman said, pointing his social media followers to a peculiar website spruiking Brisbane lawyer and small business owner Tracey Price.

It’s incredibly glowing of Ms Price across multiple tabs, includes pictures of her in Labor gear, her life story and pictures of the family but never states why the website exists.

Is this the ALP Lord Mayoral Candidate?
Someone certainly is keen...... https://t.co/V2p7bVEdR1

— Campbell Newman (@CampbellNewman) June 7, 2023

Word on the street is she’s flagged interest to be Labor’s pick to run against lord mayor Adrian “Schrindog” Schrinner at the March 2024 local government poll.

GSB tried to contact Ms Price through the phone number published on her website, but unsurprisingly her voicemail inbox was full.

Ms Price later indicated she would not be making comment until after the preselection process finished.

Queensland Labor state secretary Kate Flanders confirmed Ms Price had flagged interest to be the party’s pick, although the deadline for submitting application doesn’t yet have a closing date.

Perhaps the party is holding on to hope that former minister Kate Jones can still be convinced.

BLOCKER PRETTY IN PINK

Labor powerbroker Gary Bullock, who The Courier-Mail dubbed Queensland’s most powerful man, was spotted at the party state conference last weekend in a pink satin sash and carrying a placard reading “Decrim sex work in Qld”.

The United Workers Union secretary, known as Blocker, is a feared figure in party circles where he is commonly known as the kingmaker who has the power to boost and crush political fortunes.

Maybe the overt display of support for a cause passionately advocated for by his Left allies is a glimpse into the soul of the gentle giant?

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman at the Mascot Games at the Green at the Queensland Children’s Hospital. Picture: Annette Dew

FAST FOOTED FENTIMAN

Health Minister Shannon “Speedster” Fentiman proved she takes all races seriously, even the non-election ones.

She was challenged to a foot race as part of the Queensland Children’s Hospital Foundation Mascot Games, where the state government tipped in a cool $1.5m for charity.

Pitted against Today show’s Tim Davies, Ms Fentiman kicked off her shoes and weaved through a course.

She lost by a whisker, but a bunker replay of the footage shows some obstruction by her opponent may have been the cause.

HOT MIKE KERFUFFLE

The Opposition was caught up in an unfortunate hot mike incident, with Queensland Health victim Graeme, 85, incorrectly told he was no longer on air. Alas, the LNP’s live feed of the Thursday press conference was still running to the internet. Graeme has certainly had a bad run of it, with the octogenarian bruised and battered after suffering a couple of falls in quick succession only for an ambulance to fail to get to him.

As he was getting up to exit the press conference, Graeme asked those around him – including Opposition Leader David Crisafulli, Opposition housing spokesman Tim Mander and Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates – if he was “still on air”.

He then called the Premier a name too rude to publish here.

There was certainly laughter from parts of the crowd, though Mr Mander seemed to squirm. Big yikes.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (right) with ministers Leanne Linard (left) and Leeanne Enoch on K'gari

CABINET SOLIDARITY

The proof is in the pudding that at least part of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s cabinet get along just fine after the recent reshuffle.

A light drizzle on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) towards the end of formalities prompted backbencher Adrian Tantari to offer the Premier an umbrella during a press conference (above).

But she waved it off and answered the last question, only to turn and find three of her ministers and Mr Tantari huddled under one umbrella.

Ministers Scott Stewart, Leanne Linard and Leeanne Enoch ushered the Premier over, with Ms Enoch declaring “cabinet solidarity!”.

DEADLY DAD JOKES

Minister for Daggy Dad Jokes Scott Stewart cannot be stopped, somehow managing to fit in a few laughs during an otherwise emotionally charged ceremony.

He referred to himself as a “migaloo” (white fella) during his speech on K’gari to hand back 19 hectares of land to traditional owners.

Amid a smattering of laughter in the crowd, he proudly said he could be “deadly” too and sometimes “gammon” (pathetic).

At least one Aunty was won over, later pointing him out in a speech as her newest “partner in crime”.

MACKAY’S PARTY FORTUNES

Labor’s diehard supporter base was holding its breath following the decision to hold the state conference in Mackay last weekend.

As a keen historian of the party noted, the last annual forum hosted by the city in 1956 precipitated the infamous party split of 1957.

The Queensland Labor Party, which eventually became the Democratic Labor Party, was formed to rival the Labor Party.

While the Labor Party as it exists remains intact, GSB can confirm the conference did lead to another division of sorts – those members forced into Covid iso and those not.

Nothing like a gathering of the true believers to spread germs.