Jackie Trad to stand in as premier despite property saga

The Premier has confirmed her deputy will fill her role while she is overseas, despite the threat of a CCC probe hanging over the Treasurer’s head.

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk says Jackie Trad will act as premier next week when she flies to Switzerland to progress a possible Queensland Olympics bid.

“It is customary practice that when the premier is away the deputy premier acts,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

She would not be drawn on what might happen should the Crime and Corruption Commission report back during her absence and decide to investigate Ms Trad over the Woolloongabba investment property saga, insisting that was “hypothetical”.

“As we all know we are waiting on the outcome of the CCC. That could be next week, it could be this week, it could be the week after,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The Premier has also downplayed the shock Courier-Mail/YouGov poll results that show Labor is trailing the LNP on a two-party-preferred basis for the first time this term and could lose government at the next election if things aren’t turned around.

“I don’t think the polls in the lead up to the Federal Election were very accurate and what I will say at the outset is we will continue to work hard each and every day,” she said.

“I think the result that we saw in the Federal Election was a good wake-up call and I have responded to that.

“We will continue to respond in terms of making sure that we continue to deliver for the people of Queensland.”

It comes as the Government continues to sweat on the Crime and Corruption Commission’s decision as to whether it will launch an investigation into her family’s purchase of an investment property in the Cross River Rail corridor.

That decision is expected this week.

The LNP is set to increase pressure on Ms Palaszczuk to stand Ms Trad down, buoyed by new polling showing the dual intergrity crises dogging the Government are starting to bite.

Labor is trailing the LNP 49 per cent to 51 per cent, two-party-preferred, the latest The Courier-Mail/YouGov poll last week revealed.

The results come as the Government struggles amid ongoing sagas involving Ms Trad’s property and the awarding of a government-funded co-investment to a company co-owned by Ms Palaszczuk’s chief-of-staff David Barbagallo.

The poll showed Ms Palaszczuk’s personal popularity has also taken a hit, plummeting to its lowest level since she was elected in 2015 while almost 50 per cent of voters said they thought the Premier should stand Ms Trad aside.

The results have only served to stoke concerns among many within the Government that it is losing the PR battle over the ongoing intergrity sagas with the issues now impacting the Premier.

Opinion is split over whether Ms Palaszczuk and Ms Trad should hold the line or let Ms Trad fall on her sword early in order to finally allow Labor some clear air during this week’s Regional Parliament in Townsville.

Labor faces a battle to hold on to its three marginal Townsville seats with voters turning against Labor in the area at the May Federal Election.

This week was designed to help the Government improve its regional stocks.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington is set to capitalise on the uncertaintly this week when Question Time resumes.

“We will continue to ramp up the pressure on the weak Premier around her lack of decision-making relating to the Jackie Trad who has obviously breached the ministerial code of conduct,” Ms Frecklington said.

“We are still waiting for answers from the Premier regarding David Barbagallo.”

Ms Trad has apologised for the late disclousre of the house on her register of interest but has otherwise denied any wrongdoing over the purchase.

She self-referred herself to the Crime and Corruption Commission just days after she was referred by the LNP.

The CCC is expected to report back on whether or not it will investigate Ms Trad this week.

If it drags on longer, it will overshadow Ms Palaszczuk’s trip to Switzerland to progress Queensland’s possible Olympics bid when Ms Trad will likley be acting Premier.

Ms Trad has promised to stand aside should they launch a formal probe.

Mr Barbagallo has also denied any wrongdoing and says he declared his interest as required and withdrew his involvement in the application process when he joined the Premier’s office in 2017.

Yesterday Agriculture Minister Mark Furner, the only minister to hold a press conference ahead of this week’s regional parliament sitting in Townsville, insisted there was no need for Labor to panic despite the poor poll results.

“The only poll that really matters is on the day of the election in October next year,” Mr Furner said.

He also backed in Ms Trad, echoing the Premier in insisting she should not have to stand down until the Crime and Corruption Commission has reported back on whether or not it will investigate the saga involving the investment property.

That is expected within the next week.

But Mr Furner said he believed conversations would soon be had among the Cabinet over whether or not the ministerial code of conduct needed to be strengthened to ensure Ministers are complying with their obligations.

“That’s something that probably is suitable for Cabinet to discuss and no doubt that will be a subject that we may be taking about in the future,” he said.