George St Beat: Why Opposition Leader Steven Miles had to race from parliamentary chamber
The obscure parliamentary rule that had Opposition Leader Steven Miles racing for the door during a late sitting this week. THIS IS GEORGE STREET BEAT
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DRESS CODE
Steven Miles scurried from the chamber late Wednesday night after realising he was about to receive a whack for breaching the rarely-cited dress standards rules.
Mr Miles had returned to the chamber moments earlier wearing a crisp white shirt, but without either a tie or jacket per section 13 of the parliament’s sessional orders.
“Dress standards in the parliamentary chamber should be appropriate to the Queensland
climate … male members and staff may wear a long-sleeve business shirt and tie or coat and long-sleeve business shirt without tie,” the standards say.
Leader of the House Christian Rowan, fresh from helping take down Labor frontbencher Mark Bailey for not bowing to the Speaker, was wide awake late Wednesday night to point out Mr Miles’s faux par.
“Dress standards in the house, I draw your attention to the Leader of the Opposition,” he rose to tell Speaker Pat Weir.
Mr Miles scurried out of the house before Mr Weir could rule.
Political buffs might think Mr Miles was hard done by after what happened early one morning in November 2016.
An unplanned 2.30am vote saw LNP MPs scurrying into the chamber in bare feet and T-shirts – while Hervey Bay MP Ted Sorensen wore even less.
Mr Bailey asked Speaker Peter Wellington: “I notice that the member for Hervey Bay appears to be not wearing a shirt. Is that appropriate under the standing orders?
Mr Wellington said it was “okay” because he had to rush to the house while the division bells were ringing.
BET ON BRENT
Eager not to make the same mistakes in Maryborough the Newman government did, the LNP has been quick to eviscerate Labor claims they’re responsible for rail job cuts at Downer.
So keen to land a blow against the opposition, the government has stood down the responsible Manufacturing Minister Dale Last and instead dispatched Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg.
First, bellowing Brent stood in parliament to attack the former Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders who he ‘revealed’ (after reading it in GSB on February 28) was on Labor’s payroll “raking as much muck in Maryborough as he can”.
He was then sent to ground zero on Friday morning to allay concerns the government was behind the job losses.
Why did Mr Mickelberg usurp Mr Last to lead the attacks?
Mr Mickelberg is arguably the government’s second-best attack dog and Mr Last is not.
For the record, Mr Last insists it’s just the LNP showing “team work”.
NO LOGO
A tiny detail in the Brisbane Stadium logo tipped off GSB that it certainly wasn’t the real deal.
Submitted to IP Australia by the Games independent Infrastructure Coordination Authority to be trademarked, the logo – which has since been described as a “placeholder” – features stadium lights, which won’t be a part of the stadium design.
In fact, light towers won’t feature in any future stadium design.
“There won’t be any of those stadium lights … you can’t even build them anymore,” a stadium source told GSB.
For all us Olympic nerds waiting for the style updates, GIICA’s just playing the trademark game and the logo will slowly but surely be binned.
MANDER’S MAGIC MOMENT
Being Sports Minister definitely has its perks — like kicking off Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium shoulder-to-shoulder with NRL stars on Thursday, including Tim Mander’s certified favourite, Reece Walsh. After that, it was straight back to being locked indoors at parliament, but not before soaking up his fanboy moment.
Can this former referee publicly pick favourites? “I can do what I want,” Mr Mander tells George Street Beat exclusively.
While Maroons icon Darren Lockyer holds the all-time crown, it’s Walsh who’s got his heart now: “He provides plenty of sizzle,” he said.
A diehard Broncos man, Mander’s loyalties make for a cheeky locker room chat with Premier and proud Cowboys tragic David Crisafulli — though Mr Mander hints there are a few other sneaky Cowboys fans lurking on George Street too.
BEER AND BOATS
Being slapped over the wrist by police for drinking on an alcohol-restricted island won’t dent the persona of Queensland politics’ party boy Nick Dametto.
Mr Dametto has given his party boy persona a post-Easter glow-up on Instagram – now with extra horsepower and a playlist your mum would definitely disapprove of.
The Katter MP has been busy flexing for the camera on high-speed boat rides under the North Queensland sun, soundtracked by sexually charged bangers like Baddie and dramatic captions like “Welcome to the Jungle.”
“All I’d say is I’m just a North Queensland guy enjoying the North Queensland lifestyle,” he said.
The Palm Island beer incident could’ve cost him a $60,000 fine, but parliament heard this week he got off with just a warning.
Mr Dametto brushed it off faster than a barbell rep, saying he was never too fussed thanks to legal precedents around sly grogging.
PAY ON THE FRONTBENCH
Health Minister Tim Nicholls found himself in a classic stitch-up last weekend when he got a call from a mate and was roped into a good time at the Rural Aid fundraiser.
He bought a $500 ticket and was well ready to enjoy a cheeky wine with the wife and friends, but his plans took a turn when Premier David Crisafulli – the scheduled keynote speaker- found himself double booked.
Worse, backup speaker Dr Christian Rowan bailed after finding out Mr Nicholls was going to be in attendance – and just like that he went from canapes and a couple of drinks in the back to front and centre stage.
Hope that $500 ticket came with a free wine top-up Minister, because getting drafted into official duties after shelling out for your own seat? That’s what we call a pay-to-play promotion.
A CHEEKY THOUGHT
Changes the Brisbane Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games has left just two lucrative independent director spots available.
While sports stars Greg Norman and Natalie Cook are tipped to be in the running, GSB wonders whether the government should just appoint Director-General John Sosso.
Originally published as George St Beat: Why Opposition Leader Steven Miles had to race from parliamentary chamber
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