George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
With Premier Steven Miles ditching the controversial Gabba rebuild, it appears someone forgot to tell the busy beavers currently building Cross River Rail. THIS IS GEORGE STREET BEAT
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Steven Miles has been busy telling punters the government has “no interest” in building new stadiums for the 2032 Games – despite the fact a few months ago his No.1 job was telling us how much we needed to knock down and rebuild the Gabba for $2.7bn.
While the Premier has a sudden case of amnesia, it appears someone forgot to tell the busy beavers currently building Cross River Rail.
Multiple signs around the brand new Woolloongabba station heavily spruik how it will link directly to a new Gabba, saying we’re “getting ready for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond” complete with an artist’s impression of a brand spanking new stadium.
Whoops. Perhaps someone needs to smack a sticker of the 1982 Games at Nathan’s QSAC stadium over the top?
OLYMPIC HEAVY HITTER NO-SHOWS
Queensland’s heaviest Olympic and Paralympic Games hitters won’t front the latest Senate grilling on the state’s contentious preparations for Brisbane 2032.
It has been confirmed Australian Olympics supremo John Coates – who convinced Premier Steven Miles to controversially ditch the option of a new stadium – won’t front an Olympic Games preparedness Senate hearing in Brisbane on April 17.
And neither will Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee boss Andrew Liveris, with the body turning down the Senate committee’s latest invitation.
There was initial speculation the Queensland government had also refused to attend, with federal Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie slamming the state for being “a little bit suspicious”.
But it turns out the state government will front up, dispatching State Development Director-General Graham Fraine and Transport and Main Roads boss Sally Stanard to the hearing.
It’s expected the bureaucrats will be grilled on progress and planning concerns, including timelines of critical transport projects like Brisbane to Sunshine Coast Direct Rail.
A state government spokeswoman said Mr Fraine was the “most appropriate” representative given the department’s responsibility for the Brisbane 2032 Taskforce.
A spokesman for the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee justified the body’s absence from the hearing by arguing they had already fronted up in 2023 and venue delivery wasn’t their responsibility.
“We understand both the Queensland Government and Australian Government will be appearing again next week before the Senate Committee to provide additional evidence in relation to venue infrastructure delivery, which is not part of the Organising Committee’s scope,” he said.
The inquiry into Australia’s preparedness to host Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games was launched in September last year and is due to report on October 31 — just days after the state election — following the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games in Victoria.
VICTORIA PARK WAY TO GO
Speaking of stadiums, there may be an unofficial truce between Miles and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli to avoid any talk of them until after the October election – but that hasn’t stopped Peter Dutton having a crack.
The federal Opposition Leader left no one in doubt about his position, telling radio this week “it’s clear to me that Victoria Park is the best prospect”.
He also took a swing at the Premier’s decision to go with the QSAC option, saying “I don’t believe the proposition that’s on the table at the moment is sustainable”.
“Having buses travel back and forth between Mt Gravatt is not a feasible prospect,” he said.
“And I understand the argument about cost and it’s a very legitimate one, but there are ways that can be offset.
“I think very strongly that we need to get this right, we are running out of time.
“There’s a huge opportunity for tourism for Australia, to be put on the map and for Queensland to really shine, but we can’t do that with a second rate facility.”
A POLITICAL COMEDY FAMILY AFFAIR
It was meant to be a simple case of mistaken identity but the saga of the internet’s mix up of Water Minister Glenn Butcher and Australian comedic actor Glenn Butcher has taken another delightful twist.
Last week we revealed Gladstone-based Minister Butcher was being listed on Google as a cast member in the ABC TV’s hit show Fisk, with the home grown series gaining traction with global audiences since being streamed on Netflix.
The show features a character known as “Viktor”, played by Australian comedian Glenn Butcher — though fans trying to look up the cast list will still find the picture being used on the internet remains that of the politician not the actor.
Now it can revealed the degrees of separation between the two Glenn Butchers is not very much at all.
It turns out the men are cousins. Politician Glenn Butcher’s father and comedian Glenn Butcher’s father are brothers.
Comedian Mr Butcher was born in 1961 with politician Mr Butcher arriving — alongside his identical twin brother Wayne — in 1972. Why wasn’t this same name madness stopped at the start? Wait to find out in next week’s episode of George Street Beat.
WHAT’S ALL THE BUS ABOUT?
Transport Minister Bart Mellish this week threw on a hard hat and some hi-vis to inspect the first of the 200 buses rolling off the production line at Eagle Farm.
The government has spent a cool $130m (so far) – that’s about $650,000 a bus – on the buses to help prop up manufacturer Volgren, which was on the verge of going bust.
It might seem an age ago, but these are the same (diesel) buses which caused a stir last September when Treasurer Cameron Dick used it to take a random swipe at the Brisbane City Council for buying their Metro buses overseas, saying that “Queensland manufacturing workers missed out”.
The council then fired up accusing the state government for backflipping on their own policy, and saying that they and the industry had warned their transition to zero emissions buses was unachievable and would lead to businesses going broke.
Anyway, what the taxpayer will be left with is 200 new buses for $130m which will have TransLink branding and will be used as rail replacement buses going forward.
We asked Mellish, who was flanked by the Volgren crew and the boss of the AMWU Rohan Webb, how this fitted in with emission targets.
He said these will be the “last of their class” before the state moves to only procuring zero emissions buses from next year.
WET LETTUCE
It was meant to be the special inquiry that grilled supermarket giants and made the state Labor government look tough on cost-of-living. But it’s instead been received with all the enthusiasm of finding a limp lettuce leaf in a badly made sandwich.
The backroom deals and political plays soured the inquiry from the beginning and hurt Premier Steven Miles’ attempts to cozy up to the Katter’s Australian Party.
And things have only gone downhill since. The inquiry has been made to work to noticeably tight timelines, with submissions quietly opened on March 21 and shut on April 12 with no bells and whistles or advertising.
So far hearings will be held in only three cities — Brisbane, Cairns and Bundaberg — as though cattle producing hot spots like Roma or Rockhampton don’t exist.
Political insiders also conspiratorially noted the report for the inquiry needs to be handed over to the government on May 31 — a date conveniently less than a fortnight before Cameron Dick’s final budget before the election.
The feeling among politicians is the inquiry has been rushed and is visibly looking like a box-ticking exercise — which it always was, but the magic of politics is working to make so it doesn’t.
MILES FIELDS TOUGH QUESTIONS FROM KIDS’ NEWS
If punters thought the frenzy of last month’s by-elections was an indication the campaign had snapped into overdrive, a clearer insight into modern electioneering will emerge this week.
The Premier’s team appear to be stepping up their pursuit to woo the online masses with two looming interviews with popular online phenoms – comical duo Betoota Advocate and Leonardo Puglisi’s juvenile reporting team, 6 News.
GSB spies spotted two very smartly dressed boys from 6 News on the parliamentary grounds this week for a sit down interview with Steven Miles.
We understand the Premier was peppered with a range of questions in the 30-minute exclusive chat, ranging from cost-of-living, health, housing, the looming election, and the question we all want answered – why order a Games venues review to simply ignore the headline recommendation?
The interview with the group’s national affairs editor Austin Pollock and national political editor Roman Mackinnon won’t be the Premier’s debut on 6 News, however.
The state leader was previously door stopped by the pair shortly after ascending to the top job in December.
But GSB was told they missed Mr Miles’ inaugural speech because one of the budding reporters had soccer practice.
JOB AD NOT AS IT SEEMS
The investment spruiking arm of the Queensland Government is looking for a new chief executive, again. Well at least according to an unexpected job advertisement on Seek.
The job ad sent tongues wagging with current Trade and Investment Queensland boss Justin McGowan having been at the helm for just a year.
But sleuthing has revealed the job opening is likely to be a mere formality.
Mr McGowan, a respected diplomat and long-time Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade executive, was hired by TIQ as chief executive a year ago in a coup for the state.
It’s understood Queensland was so keen on getting Mr McGowan as he was due to finish up at the federal agency Austrade that the secured him on a short-term contract.
Now with the year up the process for hiring a TIQ chief executive must go through the full government rigmarole.
But it’s understood the TIQ board is happy with Mr McGowan’s performance. It’s expected he will apply for the job.
Originally published as George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
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