Qld politics: Behind the scenes news, gossip in halls of power
Will Queensland’s social-media loving politicians pay for their own Twitter blue tick or will they be dipping into the public purse? GEORGE ST BEAT LATEST
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Elon Musk has been busy ruffling feathers ever since his buy up of social media platform Twitter – and the tweet-loving George Street is not immune.
One of the more controversial planned changes has been the introduction of an $8 a month fee for accounts to keep their verification status symbol – the blue tick.
Whether the social-media loving pollies will be dipping into public funds to keep them is now the big question, with more than a few reportedly less than enthused about giving up their status symbol easily.
Given even backbenchers are taking home no less than $170,000 – or about $3200 a week – $2 a week to feed their egos is surely something they can sort themselves.
We asked the Premier’s office whether taxpayers will be paying for the politicians – and government agencies – to keep their prized blue ticks.
Their response was when Twitter decides what it is doing, they will make an assessment.
But Musk could save the day in the end, having flagged that some public figures will be exempt from the new model. We won’t be the only ones waiting with bated breath.
MISSING IN ACTION
One of the very few government Ministers not to have an active Twitter page – or not a public one anyway – is Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard.
But she was missing in action on more than just social media this week, after a bombshell report dropped into the government’s youth justice reforms was finally released.
The government had been facing plenty of criticism on the whereabouts of the review conducted by former Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson, particularly given it was handed over way back in March.
It all led to a very awkward press conference last week where Ms Linard defended the delay repeatedly, saying the review would be released “soon”, “very soon” and “very very soon”.
Apparently “soon” was code for 8.17pm on Tuesday night.
If the government thought that planned timing might have saved them from some scrutiny, Police Minister Mark Ryan was in for an unpleasant shock on Wednesday, when he faced a barrage of questions during a marathon hour-long press conference.
However Ms Linard was a no-show and wasn’t even in the state, having reportedly jetted to Perth to hold “child safety meetings”.
And the Premier? She was in Beenleigh to open a hydrogen training facility with four (!) of her cabinet colleagues.
BIT OF LIGHT READING
But after the Atkinson review drama, Ms Palaszczuk seems determined not to have another report hanging over her head.
With questions already starting to stack up on when the commission of inquiry report into Queensland Police Service Responses to Domestic and Family Violence would be made public – now it’s in the hands of the government – the Premier this week committed to making it public on Monday.
And while delivering the opening address at the Queensland Academy of Sport’s Ignite 2032 conference on Thursday she lamented not being able to stay for the whole event, telling the crowd she had to immediately dash off because “unfortunately I have a document I need to read”. Our guess is the inch-thick report was sitting waiting for her on her desk.
While the event was a brilliant celebration of both Olympic and Paralympic athletes, it was also noticed the Premier still only has the former in her title, almost two months after pledging to change it.
We asked the Premier this week whether she had confirmed a date to travel to see Governor Jeanette Young, and officially add it to her ministerial title.
She stuck with her previous line that it will happen by “the end of the year”. We’ll take that as a no then.
THE KING IS BACK
And for those who have stars in their eyes, LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie dusted off his faithful Elvis jumpsuit to make an appearance as the King this week.
The Kawana MP wowed the crowd at the Kawana Waters State College community food festival belting out a mash-up of A Thing Called Love and Blue Suede Shoes, and pulling out some gyrating dance moves that can’t be unsee.
With that much energy, is it any wonder he is regularly one of the parliament’s most fiery members.
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