George Street Confidential: Qld politics news and gossip

What was the burning local issue that saw these state and federal Labor MPs locked in an animated discussion on Australia Day?

It wasn’t all patriotic cheer at one Brisbane southside citizenship ceremony on Australia Day.

According to George Street Confidential spies, federal Labor backbencher Graham Perrett and state Labor Member for Toohey Peter Russo were spotted having a rather animated discussion at an event at MacGregor State School.

No, it wasn’t about who would put up their hand and move aside for Jackie Trad, the indomitable former deputy premier who is rumoured to be keen on a future political resurrection.

Trad was linked to Toohey all last term, but the smart money has shifted to Canberra of late.

State Member for Toohey Peter Russo (left) with federal Member for Moreton Graham Perrett in happier times

Instead, Perrett and Russo were discussing the much more mundane issue of the Coopers Plains rail crossing.

The notorious crossing, where drivers regularly have to wait 20 minutes for passing train traffic, and where the boom gates are brought down 138 times a day, has been the subject of promise after promise.

There’s currently $186 million on the table from all levels of government to help fix it, but the cost of the project remains a bit of a mystery.

A business case has been under way since at least early 2019, but for some reason it hasn’t materialised yet, and the community is getting cranky.

Could it have been funding delays by the cash-strapped State Government that was the issue Perrett and Russo were seen so keenly discussing?