Palaszczuk still needs own media team despite falling online reach

The Premier has hit back at claims her own media team could be cut back in size now there is no longer a need for daily Covid press conferences, saying the PM “and nearly every state Premier” has one.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended her government’s spend on media spinners and photographers amid her tanking social-media figures.

Following the traditional Ekka cabinet on Monday, the Premier was grilled on how many staff were dedicated to running her various online platforms after The Courier-Mail revealed her social-media reach was falling since the height of the pandemic.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with her own media crew at the Ekka on Monday. Picture: John Gass

“Social media and media are basically the same thing these days,” Ms Palaszczuk said, before claiming posts about the Queensland budget had reached “over a million people”.

But posts about the budget were also heavily advertised on Facebook – at a cost to taxpayers.

In the past 90 days, Ms Palaszczuk has spent $4433 boosting social-media advertising on Facebook and Instagram, according to Meta’s Ad Library.

There were 14 social-media ads published on budget day, with the Premier’s team filming her 13 separate times, mostly with MPs, in order to tailor the messaging to particular regions such as Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, or Townsville.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with her own media crew at the Ekka on Monday. Picture: John Gass

Ms Palaszczuk also said “during the height of the pandemic, most people were going in and watching our daily press conferences”.

But asked whether the team could be reduced now the third Covid wave had passed, she said “we’ve got a lot of messages to get out to people”.

“This is operating right across Australia,” she said.

“The Prime Minister has a social media team and a media team, and nearly every state Premier.”