Palaszczuk Government ‘runs out of ideas’ in chaotic parliament

The Palaszczuk Government has ‘run out of ideas’ after introducing the lowest number of new laws recorded for more than 20 years, while struggling to manage its existing workload.

The Palaszczuk Government has “run out of ideas” for Queensland after recording the lowest number of new laws for more than 20 years while struggling to even manage its existing workload.

Six years after coming to power, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government is sitting in parliament 100 fewer hours a year and introducing fewer new laws than at any point in the past 23 years.

Government critics have labelled the damning figures as proof Labor had run out of steam.

Even straightforward issues have proved chaotic with the government forced to rush through an amendment on Tuesday to prevent chief health officer Jeannette Young from accessing two pensions after she concludes as Governor.

Chief Health officer Jeannette Young. Picture: Annette Dew

Under existing laws Dr Young could access her defined benefits scheme through the Queensland public service – where she has worked since 1994 – and then a second pension handed to retired governors.

The bungle comes as the number of Bills introduced by the Palaszczuk Government has declined each year from 56 in 2015 to 37 in 2020.

To date in 2021 the government has introduced just 20 pieces of legislation and sat for 305 hours, with nine sitting days left this year.

In 2011, the final full year of Labor’s 11-year domination under Peter Beattie and Anna Bligh, 62 government Bills were introduced.

Former Queensland premier Anna Bligh. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

While the number of parliamentary sitting days remain similar, the length has been significantly reduced under new family-friendly hours.

The early-morning sittings of previous terms have been removed, with parliament now rarely sitting past 7.30pm.

The Palaszczuk Government did not respond to questions about the unwanted record, but last year cited Covid lockdowns for introducing just 30 Bills to parliament.

No sitting days were affected by lockdowns in 2021.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks during Question Time at Parliament House. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Manager of Opposition Business Jarrod Bleijie accused the government of failing to set an agenda for Queensland with infrequent parliamentary sitting days meaning little legislation had been introduced.

“The third-term Palaszczuk Government has run out of ideas, and the parliament for some time now has just been their political play thing,” he said.

“We now have chaotic sittings of parliament where it’s clear the government members run around like headless chooks with no idea what to do and nothing on the agenda.”

Members of the Queensland parliament voting on the second reading of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill earlier this year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Staggeringly, about 12 MPs are yet to make their traditional post-election speech to the Governor.

After each election the Governor speaks about the priorities of the government, with every MP able to then make a speech in reply.

Mr Bleijie said it appeared likely Governor Paul de Jersey would have retired and Jeannette Young sworn in when almost a dozen MPs finally make their speeches.

Manager of Opposition Business Jarrod Bleijie. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“It’s disgraceful coming onto 12 months since the Palaszczuk Government’s election win and we are yet to finish address in replies to the Governor because of the parliament’s limited sitting, lack of sitting hours and the government’s inability to manage the workload of parliament,” Mr Bleijie said.

“It is disrespectful to the Governor that it has taken nearly 12 months to finish those speeches and some members, about 10 to 12, could be delivering their reply to a Governor who is no longer in office.”

Thank you to Your Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC CVO for your many years of service as the @QldGovernor.

You leave this role having made Queensland a better place. pic.twitter.com/Jz0r144L94

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 25, 2021

Katter’s Australia Party leader Robbie Katter said the parliamentary agenda was getting “quieter and quieter”.

“It seems from my perspective, going on 10 years there, progressively less is happening,” he said.

“I was accustomed to the 3am finishes to fit everything in – now it’s a cosy 7.30pm finish.

“There are some very serious problems in the regions and we come down here and we just hear about the Olympics and new ministerial announcements so it’s pretty frustrating because there are issues we see as extreme urgency.”

Mr Katter said the four-year term “breeds complacency”.

The Palaszczuk Government were kept busy in their first term ‘de-Newmanising’ the state, following the defeat of former premier Campbell Newman. Picture: Claudia Baxter

Griffith University political expert Paul Williams said it may be “natural

“This tends to happen in Queensland with long-term governments,” he said.

“When the Palaszczuk Government came to office it really was like a bull out of the gates where you saw a raft of legislation, especially social legislation.

“It might be the case the government has ticked off a lot of its agenda.”

Dr Williams said the Palaszczuk Government’s first term was largely “de-Newmanised”, by repealing Bills passed by the previous administration.