Peter Beattie calls for Annastacia Palaszczuk to embrace innovative new agenda

Peter Beattie has issued a call to Annastacia Palaszczuk to embrace a new agenda as Labor insiders claim she has “checked-out” and become a “part-time premier”. POLL

Former premier Peter Beattie has issued a call to Annastacia Palaszczuk and her team to embrace an innovative new agenda – warning that voters know when a government becomes “stale” and “will want someone else to have a go”.

The Labor luminary who championed innovation, led his party to four election wins and spearheaded the Smart State agenda cautioned against politicians resting on their laurels and said governments needed to share a vision with the people.

“In the end you can actually do this if you’re smart enough,’’ he said.

His comments came amid revelations from Labor insiders that Ms Palaszczuk has “checked-out” and become a “part-time premier” more interested in attending red carpet events than running the state and defers too much power to union boss Gary Bullock.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and boyfriend Dr Reza Adib attend the Australian premiere of Elvis on the Gold Coast. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

As her Labor administration nears the halfway point of its third term in office, Ms Palaszczuk faces even more headaches, with the corruption watchdog announcing last week it was stepping up its probe into lobbying in the state – potentially holding public hearings.

Speaking to The Sunday Mail, Mr Beattie said the government should use the Olympics to lead the country as part of a new innovation agenda.

He also warned that it was harder to win elections the longer a party had been in power “because you’ve got to keep refreshing,” he said.

“You’ve got to keep renewing your vision, because if you don’t, you get stale and people see you’re stale and they will want someone else to have a go,’’ the party elder said.

“If you’ve been there a while it gets tougher because people want to see well what are you gonna do.

“You can’t rest on your laurels, because what you did yesterday was yesterday. You’ve got to perform today and you’ve got to perform tomorrow.”

Former premier Peter Beattie is calling on Annastacia Palaszczuk and her team to embrace an innovative new agenda. Picture: Jerad Williams

Mr Beattie suggested an innovation strategy would help the government maintain an agenda in its third term – creating jobs in energy, mining, biotechnology, defence, space and agriculture.

Pointing to the Olympics, he said Queensland was in the “box seat” to lead the nation with the growth power of the Games – describing it as an opportunity that no one else in the country had.

“You’ve got to have a vision and you’ve got to demonstrate it. And the answer to this is you’ve got to go out and share it with people and take them with you,” he added.

“People are really smart. They get it. They got Smart State, but a lot of people thought they wouldn’t. They did. In the end you can actually do this if you’re smart enough.”

He said the state needed to have the “smart jobs” to keep and attract the best innovative minds.

“This strategy needs leadership to bring together the creative industries, institutions and companies to drive the commercialisation of the innovation as well as funding and an aggressive approach to take Queensland’s innovation to the world,” he said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Racing Minister Grace Grace at the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast. Picture: Luke Marsden.

If she was to go the full term and lead Labor to the 2024 election, Ms Palaszczuk would overtake Mr Beattie’s nine years in power and become Queensland’s longest serving post-World War II Labor premier.

A devastating report in yesterday’s Weekend Australian revealed some Labor insiders say Ms Palaszczuk is distracted from her job and rarely makes a decision without the blessing of powerbroker Mr Bullock, the boss of the United Voice union.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, her partner Reza Adib and Grace Grace celebrate the Melbourne Cup at Eagle Farm. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The revelations prompted a spirited defence from Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard yesterday who said she “absolutely” believed Ms Palaszczuk would remain in the leadership role and carry Labor through to the 2024 state election.

“I am absolutely proud to work alongside her, she said.

Ms Linard, speaking on Saturday, said Ms Palaszczuk “gets out of bed every single day” with the interest of Queensland “firmly at heart”.

Annastacia Palaszczuk with partner Reza Adib at the Melbourne Cup day at Brisbane Spring Racing Carnival, Eagle Farm, last year. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The Sunday Mail spoke to multiple MPs last week including senior figures in the government while some suggested they didn’t know whether Ms Palaszczuk would stay in the job until 2024, several insisted she would continue in politics.

One MP suggested there had been chatter she might take up an Olympics role, but in recent times there had been no real discussion over succession plans.

And another Labor MP who believes she will run again spoke of the “amazing” attention she draws when she visits electorates, with people wanting to take selfies with her.

One senior figure in Ms Palaszczuk’s Right faction said they didn’t see the leadership of the party becoming an issue any time soon.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Deputy Premier Steven Miles. Picture: Darren England

If Ms Palaszczuk was to depart the top job, Deputy Premier Steven Miles from the Left and Treasurer Cameron Dick from the Right are shaping up as the two most likely contenders to replace her.

Ms Palaszczuk has suggested on multiple occasions that she would go the full term. She has already served more than seven years in office.

Griffith University political expert Paul Williams suggested the integrity woes that had hamstrung the government were a key challenge for the Premier.

“If Palaszczuk can paint herself in the Beattie mould to say that she is personally going to invest herself into fixing this problem and being a strong leader – which she has been during Covid – I think she can pull it off,” he said.