Order slashed for Qld police jets available for politician use

After a week in which Premier Steven Miles stoked controversy with twin jet use, a taxpayer reprieve has been revealed.

Taxpayers are off the hook for two sleek new jets available for use by Premier Steven Miles and his ministers, after the purchase was quietly axed.

Instead of seven new planes pencilled in as part of a $157m aircraft splurge, Queensland Police Service will now only get five, it can be revealed.

It was revealed in late 2022 the government had quietly put a down-payment on seven new aircraft — five new Beechcraft 360s or King Airs and two new mid-sized Gulfstream G280 jets — for a total of $157m.

Mr Miles and his front bench were set to able to use any of the seven new aircraft though the planes were primarily for other services, such as organ transfers, disaster response and recovery, search and rescue missions, and specialist police support.

The government copped criticism this week after it was revealed taxpayers paid for Mr Miles, Police Minister Mark Ryan and Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski to use two private jet flying identical routes as part of a regional blitz of crime announcements.

The new aircraft were due to start arriving in 2023 and into 2024, with Queensland police confirming the first of the planes — one of the King Airs — has arrived and the other four are due this year.

Aviation records show Queensland Government Air became the official owners of a new Beechcraft 360 just last week.

Premier Steven Miles and staff exit a private jet at the Government Air Wing at Brisbane Airport last week. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

But the orders for two new Gulfstream G280s were cancelled in January amid anticipated delays in delivering the aircraft.

“Having considered its operational requirements, the QPS has decided not to proceed with the purchase of the G280 aircraft,” a spokesman said.

“Arrangements are in place to ensure aviation services for the QPS continue to be supported.

“The QPS will continue to adjust the configuration of its aviation fleet based on changing requirements.”

Queensland police confirmed it incurred no financial loss in terminating the contract for the two Gulfstream G280s, though how much they put toward the aircraft hasn’t been disclosed as it is deemed commercial-in-confidence.

Used Gulfstream G280s available for purchase currently retail for about $35m each.

General Dynamics, owner of Gulfstream Aerospace, in January this year confirmed it would deliver less G280s than expected.

The company said this was due to aircraft production being disrupted by the Israel-Gaza conflict — which had hampered operations at its manufacturing partner on the G280 program, Israel Aircraft Industries.

In March 2020, in the lead-up to that year’s state election, the-Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk indicated in a television interview that her government was “not buying a new plane”.

QGAir has an older King Air in its fleet, which the latest flight logs show was last flown with a minister on board in November 2023.