Question Time: Premier Steven Miles’ integrity on trial in parliament for second day

Steven Miles has channelled Annastacia Palaszczuk as the Opposition goes on the attack over the Premier's integrity. QUESTION TIME BLOG

Steven Miles has channelled Annastacia Palaszczuk in an attack on a long-serving MP as the Opposition unleashes over the Premier's integrity.

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Updates

11:24 am March 6, 2024

'You sold off our buildings': Premier defends $1.5m lease on office space

Stephanie Bennett

The LNP now turns its attention onto news taxpayers were copping a $1.5m lease bill for office space for the Queensland Treasury Corporation – despite it largely being empty.

Questioned by LNP housing spokesman Tim Mander why the government was spending such cash in the middle of a housing crisis, Mr Miles defended the space – while admitting it was currently half empty.

"I am advised there are 45 desks available in that office space, currently 20 of those desks are occupied – that will increase to 32 by the end of April," he said.

"We wouldn't need to lease office space in the city if the LNP hadn't sold off all our buildings – we wouldn't need to lease extra office space for our hardworking public servants."

11:23 am March 6, 2024 Highlight

Premier to check records on convos leading to Gabba rebuild about turn

Madura McCormack

Premier Steven Miles will “go and check” his records after the Opposition pushed on the recent change of mind on the controversial demolition and rebuild of the Gabba.
Opposition MP for Lockyer Jim McDonald noted the Premier had announced on November 24, the Gabba rebuild was firmly underway, but by January 18 the Premier had announced an infrastructure review (which is due on March 18 for everyone’s diaries).
“Given the drastic change in position on the Gabba, at any point during these weeks did the Premier exchange messages with the Director-General (Mike Kaiser) about the policy reversal?” Mr McDonald said.
Mr Miles said he would “need to go and check my records to be able to answer” but agreed the premise of the question was accurate.
“I have been very clear about this fact. I listened to Queenslanders, they said to me they didn’t support the plan, that we had to redevelop together, so I changed my position,” he said.
“I’ve been upfront about that.”

11:19 am March 6, 2024 Highlight

Premier: 'We stand by' enacting covid mandates

James Hall

Steven Miles has stood by the state government’s decision to enact a Covid-19 mandate on workers during the pandemic.
Katter’s Australian Party’s Shane Knuth referenced the recent court ruling that the mandate on frontline police officers and paramedics was unlawful and asked the Premier if the government would “immediately instruct” all departments to withdraw current disciplinary actions directed at staff who refused to be vaccinated.
The crossbench MP also asked if the government would instruct departments to reinstate affected workers.
The Premier said the government was still “carefully” considering the ruling but defended the government’s decision taken during an extraordinary pandemic weighing over public health.
“We took the decisions that we took at the time in good faith and in the interests of Queenslanders and in the interests of preserving the life of Queenslanders,” Mr Miles said.
“While a couple years down the track, it might be easy in hindsight to pour over that decision-making … I can assure the Member for Hill and everyone in this house that all of those decisions were made based on the advice that we had available to us.
“The advice that those steps would keep Queenslanders safe and we stand by those decisions.”

11:09 am March 6, 2024 Highlight

Rules were followed Premier insists as LNP digs its heels in on RTI furore

Madura McCormack

Premier Steven Miles reaffirms all right-to-information requirements were complied with in the furore over text messages sent to Pumicestone MP Ali King.
Opposition energy spokesman Deb Frecklington noted the Premier and his office had to sign a “search form certificate proving they thoroughly searched for messages on his phone.
She asked if he had signed this form—in a move designed to hit at whether proper process was followed.
It comes after Opposition integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson asked a question of a similar vein.
Mr Miles maintained processes were followed.
It’s worth noting the official reasoning for the text message to Ms King not being produced, as revealed in a decision document tabled by Mr Miles, was based on an interpretation of RTI rules.
“I am satisfied that the Deputy Premier has taken all reasonable steps to find requested SMSs and messenger service messages falling within the terms of the application which comprise a ‘document of a Minister’ subject to the RTI Act (the requested documents),” the document stated.
“Searches did not locate any document of a Minister subject to the RTI Act in the possession or control of the Deputy Premier.”
In effect, any messages he sent as Steven “Regular Citizen” Miles (to his wife for example) or outside his ministerial responsibilities would have been out of scope.

11:03 am March 6, 2024

'She hasn't been a Minister': Premier's ghostly jab

Stephanie Bennett

Mr Miles has taken a leaf out of former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's Question Time playbook, sledging the house's longest-serving MP.

Maroochydore MP Fiona Simpson – who was elected in 1992 – asked the Premier about how he got access to an email exchange sent to the LNP from an RTI officer in his department, which he tabled in the house yesterday.

Pulling out a favourite jab of Ms Palaszczuk – who frequently sparred with Ms Simpson – said he wasn't surprised she didn't understand the RTI process as she "hasn't been a Minister".

"And those over there didn't get long as Ministers," he said.

"What I can advise, is that RTI decision makers are delegated their decision making powers by the Minister, and therefore, as my delegate, I receive the decision notice."

11:00 am March 6, 2024 Highlight

Opposition drags out previous accusations of dishonesty

James Hall

Next on the Opposition’s laundry list of accusations of dishonesty levelled at Steven Miles is an allegation he used a private email for ministerial purposes eight years ago.
LNP’s Ann Leahy cited a comment from estimates when the now Premier said he did not use emails for matters relating to his ministerial duties.
“It was later revealed he had in 2016,” Ms Leahy said.
“Given the Premier's situation on the use of private emails, and the revelation the Premier misled Parliament this week, is this another example where Queenslanders need to question everything the Premier says?”
Mr Miles shut down the question, however, with a one word answer – “no”.

10:54 am March 6, 2024 Highlight

'Don't recall' Premier says as Opposition reaches into history to attack integrity

Madura McCormack

The attacks on Premier Steven Miles’ integrity record roll on, with Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates reaching into the history books to call out Mr Miles on his action during the controversial name change of the Lady Cilento Hospital.
The name change of the hospital to Queensland Children’s Hospital happened in 2018.
It was revealed back in the day that Mr Miles as health minister “knew weeks ago” that the same IP addresses were being used to vote hundreds of times in a potential rigging of the survey to rename the hospital.
“Is this a further example where Queenslanders need to question everything the Premier says?” Ms Bates said.
Mr Miles said he doesn’t recall a recording Ms Bates referred to because it was a “long time ago”—a response which drew hoots from the Opposition benches after the Premier also failed to recall sending a text to Pumicestone MP Ali King.
“One thing I can tell you is the Queensland Children's Hospital has gone from strength to strength ever since its name was reinstated to the name that it was always intended to have,” Mr Miles said.

10:41 am March 6, 2024

'Misinterpretation' - Premier's sledge to LNP Deputy Leader

Stephanie Bennett

Mr Miles has revealed former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wrote to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese refusing to negotiate on the federal government's infrastructure review.

Under further questioning by LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie over documents obtained under RTI laws over the controversial 60-day review, Mr Miles claimed the Albanese Government was "frustrated" the Queensland government wouldn't budge – while NSW and Victoria did.

"(Mr Bleijie's question) is a misinterpretation of a communication", the Premier said.

"We wouldn't give them (the federal government) a list of priorities, that were not a priority," he said.

"We did not, and we were very clear that we would not budge, much to the frustration of the Australian Government."

10:40 am March 6, 2024 Highlight

'We did not': Miles insists ministers refused deals on Albo's cuts

James Hall

Steven Miles has rejected claims an internal document shows Labor ministers were involved in negotiating with the federal government about controversial infrastructure cuts as the Opposition further narrows its focus on accusations of dishonesty.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said the Right To Information document, revealed by The Courier-Mail, reveals cuts “were already negotiated with state Labor ministers”.
“Is this a further example where Queenslanders need to question everything this government says?”
The Premier conceded there “may have been an email” from the federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, but insisted negotiations involved interstate representatives and not those from Queensland.
“New South Wales and Victoria did choose to negotiate,” Mr Miles told Parliament.
“They put forward projects that were no longer priorities for them.
“We did not. We stood by our big build, we stood by the infrastructure that Queensland needs and we will continue to do so.
“The one misleading the house about the RTI is the leader of the opposition.”
Link to full story on RTI here.

10:29 am March 6, 2024 Highlight

'Question everything the Premier says': Opposition goes after Miles' integrity

Madura McCormack

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has attempted to pin Premier Steven Miles on internal documents the LNP argue show the state government’s trip to Canberra to prevent the federal government from axing infrastructure projects after the fact was all a charade.
“Is this another example where Queenslanders need to question everything the premier says,” Mr Crisafulli asked.
Mr Miles batted the question away, arguing the right to information document “says nothing of the sort”.
“I can assure you that the Australian Government was under no illusions whatsoever that we would not cooperate with them on that review,” Mr Miles said.
“And we were very, very clear with them that we did not agree with the review and that we did not agree with changes being made to the funding allocations for Queensland.”