George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip

Inflation and cost blowouts have hit the once-revered parliamentary canteen, leaving politicians, staff and press gallery members scrounging for change. THIS IS GEORGE ST BEAT

The parliamentary canteen has had a price hike.

Inflation and cost blowouts on a simple slice of toast in the once-revered parliamentary canteen has left returning politicians, staff and hardworking press gallery members shocked.

Known for its cost-price offering of nachos, roast meats, bacon and eggs, the parliamentary canteen for years has resisted soaring inflation to offer arguably the lowest-price breakfast and lunch in town.

Now, prices have increased between 30 and 45 per cent.

A simple piece of toast that once cost $1.50 is now $2.50 – though the scope of the toast has at least expanded from a “regular” to “thick” slice.

Unhelpful for the LNP was the timing of the rise as it sat on the government benches for the first time since 2015.

Can this blowout be blamed on Labor? How deep does the BPIC impact run?

It doesn’t appear so, with one Labor MP jokingly declaring cost of living wasn’t a priority for the LNP and declaring “chaos and crisis in the canteen”.

Poor parliament staff and journalists are now ruing the loss of Labor’s free lunches.

Pressure is mounting, in this column at least, for Speaker Pat Weir to take action.

Slip of the tongue or dodgy script?

The regal and officious opening of parliament by Governor Jeannette Young this week has been rocked by a Latin scandal and a revision of the record.

Dr Young, as per tradition, delivered the Governor’s Speech to mark the opening of the 58th parliament – with the speech written by the government outlining their plan for the term.

It was all happening without incident until …

Queensland Governor Jeannette Young made her first speech last week.

“The Queensland Coat of Arms carries the state motto, Audax at Fidelis, meaning bold but beautiful,” Dr Young said, seemingly reading from the speech.

For those who haven’t been practising their Latin, Audax at Fidelis actually means “bold but faithful” and bears no passing resemblance to the long-running American television soap opera.

So whose error was it? The Premier’s speech writing or was it a slip of the tongue by Dr Young who may or may not secretly be a fan of The Bold and The Beautiful?

Well, according to the official record (Hansard) the slip never happened with the transcript showing Dr Young used the correct translation of “bold but faithful”.

FIRST DAY FEVER

There was also a gaggle of MPs who decided to BYO their Holy Book of choice for the important oath taking section of the swearing-in ceremony.

Sandgate MP Bisma Asif, as the first Muslim MP ever sworn in to Queensland parliament, brought in her own Quran clad in what looked to be its own deep red cover with gold trimmings.

Bisma Asif Member for Sandgate

A handful of LNP MPs also toted their personal Bibles along, with Police Minister Dan Purdie opting for the large-format textbook size holy text while Burleigh MP Hermann Vorster’s black Bible seemed to be fur-trimmed.

Mr Purdie later clarified the bigger Bible doubled as a way to hold his official swearing-in letters at the start of each term.

Oodgeroo MP Amanda Stoker opted for a Bible with a white cover. Redland MP Rebecca Young and Rockhampton MP Donna Kirkland also chose to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bible).

Other things GSB noticed was the clear winner of parliament’s least interesting name.

It goes to the great surviving Labor Bundaberg MP, Thomas John Smith.

Presumably his Medicare card number is 123456789-1.

RUSTED SNAPPER

His itchy finger forced an apology to parliament last term, but Coomera MP Michael Crandon proved during Wednesday’s ceremonial opening he still loves a quick photograph.

Member for Coomera Michael Crandon. Picture: Tertius Pickard

It was during the Australian national anthem when the six-term MP – in an aisle seat in front of the broadcast camera and in the eyeline of Governor Jeannette Young – decided to pull his phone out to grab a few pics to mark the moment.

Mr Crandon was of course last term forced to apologise for secretly snapping a photo of Labor MP Ali King’s phone as she texted Steven Miles.

IT’S FEELING A LOT LIKE AN ELECTION

Labor supporters woke up on Friday morning to a dramatic plea for cash from the party, in a hefty signal a federal election is looming.

The final shambolic sitting week wrapped up in Canberra with Federal Labor still unable to secure a clear narrative of what it is trying to achieve and what it wants to do.

It could well be the final sitting week of the Albanese government before voters head to the polls, and an early Friday morning donation call out certainly hints that.

“Australians will face an enormous choice soon,” the email warned, in a tone so dramatic it could have come with action movie trailer music.

“This election will be a choice about whether we build Australia’s future or allow Peter Dutton to rip up our progress and leave working families worst off”.

The tone of the donation plea rubbed some the wrong way, with complaints of the party begging for cash while failing to discuss the big ideas.

THE BOURNE TWIN-DENTITY

Ipswich West MP Wendy Bourne.

Ipswich West MP Wendy Bourne, in her first speech to parliament, has revealed she is an identical twin. Her sister Jackie was in the gallery to watch the speech and it can be independently verified that they do indeed look similar.

“People who know me in this chamber know how much I love her and how much of a special bond we have,” Ms Bourne (the MP) said.

“We just have to be careful; she might be sitting here sometimes instead of me.”

This makes Ms Bourne the second identical twin in Labor caucus, joining Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher (and his police officer twin Wayne).