Qld election 2024: Miles’s 11th-hour love letter to public servants

Premier Steven Miles used his final hours in power to launch a charm offensive on Queensland’s 308,000 public servants.

Premier Steven Miles and wife Kim take a morning walk along the Mackay foreshore on Wednesday. Picture: Adam Head

• Editor’s view: Premier’s done it again

Premier Steven Miles used his final hours in power to launch a charm offensive on Queensland’s 308,000 public servants.

In a mass email, he told government employees how valuable they were and how his landmark reproductive leave policy proved Labor’s support for them.

Public servants received the email from Mr Miles on Monday, just hours before the government entered caretaker mode, praising them for the work they did for Queensland.

He also revealed Labor’s national-first, reproductive health leave policy would start immediately, giving public servants 10 days a year to undergo IVF, fertility and cancer screening procedures.

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Labor has argued public servants are at risk if the LNP is elected on October 26.

Mr Miles’s last-minute letter promotes the work of his government in expanding the benefits of public service and declares they are important to Labor.

“I want you to know that you, and the work you do for the people of Queensland is valuable and valued by me personally and by my government,” he said.

“I’m proud that Queensland is setting the standard for employers nationwide – demonstration a progressive approach that prioritises the wellbeing and holistic needs of our workforce.

“The new reproductive health leave entitlement is a testament to our government’s support for you, our hardworking and dedicated public sector workforce.”

Premier Steven Miles in Townsville this week. Picture: Adam Head

While the Premier has broken no rules by issuing the mass email, the timing and content was criticised by Opposition industrial relations spokesman Jarrod Bleijie.

“It’s no surprise Queenslanders and the public service see straight through Steven Miles’s desperate attempt to schmooze votes in the hours before caretaker government kicked in,” he said.

“For months Queenslanders have been paying for Labor’s campaign out of taxpayers’ own pockets.”

A spokeswoman for Mr Miles said the Premier was celebrating the work of bureaucrats.

“Jarrod Bleijie has never cared about public servants and this is him signalling to them that he doesn’t value their work or their rights,” the spokeswoman said.

“The Premier is proud to stand by his record and celebrate the achievements his government reached alongside the hardworking public service.”

The reproductive leave policy was announced by Mr Miles and Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace on ­Labour Day in May, and was to be in place by the end of ­September. Mr Miles released the directive, enforcing the policy, on September 30.

It now gives public servants access to leave for fertility and IVF treatment, chronic conditions like endometriosis, preventive breast and prostate cancer screenings and other treatments associated with reproductive health.

“It acknowledges the profound impact that reproductive health matters have on peoples’ lives both in and out of the workplace,” Mr Miles said.