Revealed: Secret talks to lure Kate Jones to City Hall

Former state government minister Kate Jones is being pushed to run as Labor’s candidate for Brisbane lord mayor. VOTE IN THE POLL

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Former state government minister Kate Jones is being pushed to run as Labor’s candidate for Brisbane lord mayor and take on LNP incumbent Adrian Schrinner at the next council election.

The Sunday Mail understands there are efforts under way within some Labor circles to lure Ms Jones back into politics to stand as the party’s candidate in the March 2024 local government poll.

This includes senior figures within the party holding formal and casual conversations with Ms Jones in a bid to persuade her to throw her hat into the ring for the lord mayoralty.

Kate Jones. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Ms Jones sensationally quit state politics ahead of the 2020 election after serving two terms in Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s cabinet as a senior minister.

Since she left the political arena, Ms Jones has been an Australian Rugby League commissioner as well as the executive director of the Tech Council of Australia.

She made history in 2015 when she reclaimed the state electorate of Ashgrove from then-premier Campbell Newman – making him only the second Queensland premier to lose their seat.

Ms Jones declined to comment when approached by The Sunday Mail.

There was speculation at the last council poll that Ms Jones would vie for the lord mayoralty against Mr Schrinner, but she didn’t – with former TV journalist Patrick Condren flying the flag for Labor.

Labor recently opened up expressions of interest to find lord mayoral and councillor candidates.

Labor’s opposition leader at Brisbane City Council, Jared Cassidy, would not be drawn on who his party should draft as its candidate – but said it should be a woman.

“I want to be part of that administration – I’m not running for lord mayor,” Mr Cassidy confirmed.

“I think given the extreme challenges we face but also the great opportunities there, I think we certainly need a strong lord mayoral candidate to offer an alternative to Adrian Schrinner.

“And I would love to see a woman run for Labor. The last time the Labor Party endorsed a woman to run for lord mayor was 1988 – that was the year I was born.”

The LNP holds a commanding majority in the council chamber, with 19 of 26 seats as well as the lord mayoralty.

Councillor Jonathan Sriranganathan. Picture: Richard Walker

Meanwhile, Greens councillor Jonathan Sriranganathan would not say last week if he was considering a run for lord mayor.

He also would not say if he would even run for re-election in his ward of The Gabba if he did not plan to contest the lord mayoralty.

“During this period when the party is deciding on preselection time frames and calling for expressions of interest, I shan’t comment publicly on party preselection processes,” he said.

“Our candidates are chosen via democratic vote by all current Greens members who live in the relevant electorate.

“The widespread dissatisfaction with both the major parties’ poor handling of development and transport planning means there’s a very good chance the Greens could not only beat Labor’s primary vote, but win the mayoralty itself.”

Mr Sriranganathan pointed to Central, Paddington, Coorparoo, Walter Taylor, Holland Park, Pullenvale, The Gap and Enoggera – all held by the LNP – as the Greens’ “most winnable” wards at the next election.