George Street Confidential: Steven Miles road-tests new GPS tracker

Steven Miles is taking his government’s proposed youth crime crackdown very seriously if his unusual accessorising this week is anything to go by.

So much for he Fourth Estate’s prized powers of observation.

It eluded the attention of those members of the media who rocked up to the latest Queen’s Wharf media event on Wednesday that Deputy Premier Steven Miles was wearing a GPS tracker on his ankle.

To be fair, he was wearing trousers.

No, Miles has not been caught – or committed, we should add – for any indictable offences that would require him to wear the electronic device day and night while on bail.

Apparently he’s undertaking a personal experiment to see what they’re like to wear after the Government decided repeat youth offenders should have them as a bail condition.

WORKERS FLY THE FLAG

But full marks to the workers on the Queen’s Wharf site for trying to get the Eureka flag in the background of camera shots.

They repeatedly moved the flag while The Star Group’s big boss Matt Bekier was on site.

Alas, it still didn’t make it on the television news.

Quakers have protested outside gun baron Rob Nioa’s Brisbane factory this week. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

ODD ANGRY SHOTS

We were under the false impression that Quakers had been consigned to the side of cereal boxes.

A group calling itself Quakers For Peace protested outside gun baron Rob Nioa’s munitions factory at Brisbane’s Pinkenba this week, which is possibly the only manufacturer in the state that hasn’t hosted a State Government minister.

“Apparently the majority of this morning’s group were sans footwear,” one keen-eyed observer noted.

The group’s signage was adorned with words like “Merchant of death” and “Making a killing” aimed at the factory’s exports.

However Nioa’s company also supplies Queensland police, who do a pretty good job of keeping the peace.

YES, WE TOLD YOU SO

And, as much as we hate to admit it, we told you so.

A few weeks back we speculated that former Rockhampton mayor Marg Strelow had bought Member for Keppel Britt “Look at Moi” Lauga’s forever home in Rockyview.

It can now be confirmed Marg and husband Darryl’s names have shown up on property records.

They paid $850,000 for the lavish four-bedroom, three-bathroom number, which is all a bit postmodern for George Street Confidential’s tastes.

No doubt Britt was glad to get the property off her hands, given it’s caused her so much trouble over the years.

Her share of the debt for the $273,000 in overrun costs that were belatedly discovered by Hutchinson Builders should finally be removed from her Register of Member’s Interests.

HerStory: Member for Ninderry Dan Purdie. Photo: Lachie Millard

IS DAN COPPING IT SWEET?

Finally, there’s more than a bit of friction in the LNP over how they’ve handled the youth justice scandal.

Member for Burdekin Dale Last is the official Opposition police spokesman after his ill-fated run for the deputy leadership.

However Member for Ninderry and former police officer Dan Purdie shot out of the blocks and was a vocal critic of the government’s efforts.

Purdie held the police spokesman role under former leader Deb Frecklington and, according to some, he’s yet to remove the position from the title that appears on his email.