‘No deal’: Palaszczuk joins Greens pile on despite election threat
Annastacia Palaszczuk has doubled down on her deputy’s stunning attack on the Greens, slamming it as a protest party and refusing to do a deal to form government in the event of a hung parliament.
QLD Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Annastacia Palaszczuk has doubled down on her deputy’s stunning attack on the “elitist” Greens, slamming it as a protest party and refusing to do a deal to form government in a hung parliament.
The Premier backed Deputy Premier Steven Miles, who earlier unleashed on the Greens as “wealthy inner-city elites” for attempting to curb flights from Brisbane Airport.
Ms Palaszczuk, whose government faces a threat from the Greens in at least two inner-city seats, on Thursday joined the pile-on.
“What we have seen about the Greens is they want to block everything,” she said.
“We live in a modern city, there’s always going to be noise.”
Ms Palaszczuk said she would “definitely not” do a deal with the Greens if Labor failed to secure a majority at next year’s state election.
“I’ve said that on three elections now,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said her own experience living next to Archerfield Speedway and visiting her grandparents’ home “next to a railway station” was part of living in a growing city.
“Labor is a progressive party, what we’re seeing from the Greens is blocking,” she said.
“Now there’s a second runway we’re going to see more airline traffic and if you want to see the cost of airline tickets come down we need to allow more capacity in.”
The Greens slammed Mr Miles’ “wealthy inner-city elites” spray as hypocritical and warned it would cost Labor seats at next year’s state election.
“The irony of a Deputy Premier on $380,000 a year speaking to a room full of aviation CEOs and lobbyists calling everyday people struggling to sleep because of horrendous flight noise ‘elites’ is breathtaking,” Greens Ryan MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown said.
“If Steven Miles and the Labor government are more interested in the profits of Brisbane Airport Corporation and the airline companies than they are in the wellbeing of everyday residents in these areas, they can expect to lose their seats at the 2024 state election.”
In Brisbane, Labor’s seats of McConnel – held by Education Minister Grace Grace – and Cooper – held by first-term MP Jonty Bush – are the most at risk to the Greens at the October 2024 election.
The minor party also intends to target Labor’s Employment Minister Di Farmer and Deputy Speaker Joe Kelly, in Bulimba and Greenslopes respectively, and the LNP seats of Clayfield and Moggill.
Mr Miles revealed he had been told to “tone down” his attacks on the Greens, but on Thursday refused to elaborate.
“What I made was an honest reflection of what I think would be a very bad policy for our city,” he said.
Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather questioned whether inner-city Labor MPs supported the deputy premier and believed flight noise was “a fake issue”.
“The Greens aren’t fussed about silly attacks like this, we won’t stop fighting until everyone in Brisbane can get a good night’s sleep,” he said.
Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon also defended Mr Miles, labelling the Greens “hypocrites”.
‘Owes me a thank you’: Premier called out over election snub
David Crisafulli has been called out for failing to recognise a telling contribution.
‘Dear Albo, come row on our river’: MPs let rip over Olympic quip
A podcast comment from the Prime Minister questioning whether Rockhampton was the right place to host Olympic Rowing still isn’t going down well with the Beef Capital’s leaders.