Ranked according to their influence (and the ways they use it), the ultimate Power 100 List reveals Queensland’s biggest movers and shakers.

Today, we reveal those who made the cut and were ranked from 51 to 100.

From tomorrow we will each day roll out a new power list for individual industries and sectors – from sport, business, arts/entertainment/celebrity, property, education, tourism/hospitality to health.

The big, final reveal of Queensland’s top 50 will then be unveiled on Thursday, September 15.

The more-than 430 people who have made at least one of our lists have earned their place by exerting influence, overtly or covertly, to ensure their voice is heard in the highest levels of decision making.

Two of them made five of the lists, one made four, and 18 people made three of our lists.

All were assessed on one dominant criteria: their ability to influence the decisions that matter in Queensland. They were also then critiqued and ranked on how effectively they use this influence.

Not all are Queenslanders, but all have a stake in the current and future growth of our state.

This extensive project has been more than four months in the making, involving vigorous debate, earnest deliberation, and the tapping of trusted sources.

It is one that only The Courier-Mail has the resources and courage to undertake.

How did we determine the lists?

Firstly, The Courier-Mail senior leadership team engaged the newsroom – reporters on the ground and in the know, those whose job it is to cover these sectors every single day.

The leadership team then used its combined years of experience and extensive contacts to brainstorm more names, adding and culling – all the while consulting with external experts and trusted sources in relevant fields.

We have excluded executives and editors of News Corp, The Courier-Mail, Foxtel and Fox Sports. That is because News Corp Australia is the publisher of The Courier-Mail, and owns 65 per cent of Foxtel.

We understand that any such list is bound to be subjective, and is by no means exhaustive – but this list is as accurate a one as possible to produce in terms of where things are right now.

It is a unique insight into who calls the shots in Queensland. And as a subscriber it is yours exclusively.

But remember that power is more often than not temporary. Who plays large in 2022 might not be so powerful in 2023. Watch this space.

100. Rob Borbidge – Govstrat principal consultant, former premier

He’s National Party royalty who quietly uses his statesmanlike ability as a former Queensland premier to insert himself in the current political landscape.

In July, The Courier-Mail revealed Rob Borbidge was secretly appointed to conduct a review of the LNP’s contribution to the earlier 2022 federal campaign efforts – while the election was still taking place, a first for the party.

Borbidge, a principal consultant with Damian Power’s lobby firm Govstrat, was the Member for Surfers Paradise from 1980-2001, and premier from 1996-1998. Throughout his political career he was minister of key profiles including tourism, industry, environment and conservation, police and emergency services, and communications and technology. He is currently chair of LifeFlight.

99. Helen Bowskill – Queensland Supreme Court Chief Justice

Replacing the retired Catherine Holmes in March, Helen Bowskill is in charge of the highest court in the state. A former justice, she is respected on both sides of the political fence. When the Premier announced Bowskill’s appointment in Parliament, she said one day it would go unremarked that her Honour and her predecessor were both women.

Bowskill has also served as senior judge administrator, and a judge of the District Court of Queensland, the Childrens Court of Queensland and the Planning and Environment Court of Queensland. She is passionate about addressing mental health, domestic and family violence and abuse, and improving safety for women and children.

98. Peter Beattie – ARLC Commissioner, former premier

Known as a “media tart” during his time as premier (1998 to 2007), Peter Beattie still enjoys having his voice heard.

When he speaks, he creates waves, including when criticising the current Labor government for having a lack of vision for the state.

Beattie has been on the Australian Rugby League Commission since July 2017 (and was chairman for 20 months from 2018) – one of only three “Queenslanders” on that board, alongside Kate Jones and Megan Davis.

Before entering politics he worked as a lawyer, union secretary and ALP state secretary. He retired from politics in 2007 after becoming the state’s longest-serving Labor premier, and was succeeded by his deputy Anna Bligh.

97. Clive Palmer – Mineralogy chairman

Billionaire Clive Palmer acts like a man who has money to burn – and he does. The rivers of gold he earns from his iron ore royalties in Western Australia allowed him to splash an estimated $100m on his United Australia Party campaign at the 2022 federal election without winning a single seat – but he nonetheless had his key messages heard, and included in the campaign debate.

Palmer, a one-time federal member of parliament, loves to dabble in the corridors of power. In this recent election, he campaigned strongly against both major parties, urging voters to put the Liberal and Labor party last.

As a young man, Palmer was part of the failed 1987 campaign that sought to send Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen to Canberra as PM. He later built a successful career in property development and resources, investing money in a number of projects, including relaunching the Titanic.

96. Steve Wilson – Racing Queensland chair

Steve Wilson casts a big shadow in the Queensland corporate world. After leading stockbroking firm Wilsons to become a national leader in emerging companies and establishing investment management companies Hyperion and ASX 200 listed Pinnacle Investment Management Group, Wilson is now a force in racing.

He keeps a full diary also being chair of Barambah Wines and a director of the Centre for Independent Studies plus a string of other organisations, including chairing the Committee for Brisbane Advisory Council.

The preservation of Brisbane’s heritage has become an important quest for him and his medico wife Jane. Last year they were revealed as the purchasers of Kangaroo Point’s historic Lamb House which property veteran Kevin Seymour also wanted to buy.

Wilson previously chaired Southbank Corporation, Hyperion Asset Management, St John’s Cathedral Completion Fund and Queensland Rugby Union and was a director of Telstra Corporation, Tourism Queensland and the Council of Queensland University of Technology.

95. Rebecca Frizelle – Gold Coast Titans co-owner

Rebecca Frizelle is perhaps one of the most connected people in Australia – a powerful voice in the expansion of rugby league’s new women’s competition and respected for her vast network of relationships across business, media and sport.

As a part owner of the Titans, she has played a key role in the survival of the club. She also has secured a spot as one of former prime minister Scott Morrison’s picks on Brisbane’s Olympic Games Organising Committee (and kept it after Anthony Albanese was voted PM), and is on the Paralympics Australia Board.

She would likely have been higher on this list had the Coalition retained power federally.

94. Ian Macfarlane – Queensland Resources Council CEO

Nicknamed the “chainsaw” for his distinctive voice, Ian Macfarlane has been in and around the corridors of power for decades.

Macfarlane had a distinguished career on the conservative side of politics serving as minister for industry, tourism and development as well as science and small business. He retired prior to the 2016 election and became the leading voice of the mining sector in Queensland.

In his current chief executive post, Macfarlane has put his political skills to use, lobbying for the mining sector and promoting the significant contribution the industry makes to the state’s economy. He has been front and centre of the industry’s fightback against the Palaszczuk government’s super-profits tax.

93. Matt Canavan – LNP Senator

While his power and influence has of course waned since the federal election in May was won by Labor, Matt Canavan still has a cut through to which other politicians aspire.

A strong performer when on message, Canavan would be a welcome addition to the Coalition’s frontbench.

But he has chosen pre and post-election to remain on the backbenches, believing he can have the best influence as an “uncancellable” voice for regional Queensland. Whether it is on coal, cattle or other regional voices, Canavan not only plays into the debate but can sway his colleagues.

92. Irwin family – Australia Zoo owners

Few have a higher profile in the tourism industry than the Sunshine Coast’s Irwin family.

Wildlife warriors and tourism advocates, the Irwins have become a global brand, inspiring thousands of people from across the world to visit Queensland. Both Terri and daughter Bindi have received Queensland tourism awards in recognition of their work in the industry.

Terri and Steve, who died in 2006 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in the Great Barrier Reef, made more than 300 episodes of Crocodile Hunter, Croc Diaries, Croc Files, New Breed Vets, Ghosts of War and Bindi: The Jungle Girl. These programs have been enjoyed by over 500 million viewers worldwide.

Australia Zoo now encompasses more than 283ha and employs over 500 staff and is continuing Steve’s mission of “conservation through exciting education”.

91. Karl Morris – Broncos chairman, Ord Minnett CEO

Exuding a quiet power and with a career spanning over 30 years in financial services and wealth management, Karl Morris became Broncos chairman for the start of 2018 season and has presided over a volatile era in which the club sacked Wayne Bennett and Anthony Seibold, both of whom made awkward, ugly exits as head coaches.

As boss of Ord Minnett, Morris is one of the country’s leading financial heavyweights and, as Broncos board chairman, his opinion matters.

He stepped into the Broncos job with little experience in the highly scrutinised world of rugby league administration but his confidence has grown by the season and there are signs the club is now on course for a brighter era.

Morris is also national vice-patron of Bravehearts, a not-for-profit dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse, and is an active and senior member of Brisbane’s Catholic community.

90. Trevor Lee – Australian Country Choice principal

The billionaire beef baron, whose company for decades supplied meat to Coles, might be the son of a former Joh Bjelke-Petersen minister but his political allegiances now lean to the Left, elevating his level of influence in government circles.

Lee and his fashion designer wife Keri Craig-Lee hosted a Labor party fundraiser – understood to have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars – attended by Anthony Albanese and Annastacia Palaszczuk ahead of the May 2022 federal election, and the Queensland Premier has been a guest at their Ascot mansion on at least one other occasion.

Lee, who is also among Australia’s largest landholders, successfully lobbied the state government in 2021 to intervene in a bitter development dispute after he fell out with the Liberal-held Brisbane City Council.

89. Tim Fairfax – Tim Fairfax Family Foundation chairman

Pastoralist Tim Fairfax is a much-admired statesman of the arts and philanthropy. He and wife Gina and their four daughters are generous benefactors through their private foundation, which has distributed more than $54 million with a particular interest in benefiting regional Australia.

For example, in 2021 it facilitated the transformation of Rockhampton Art Gallery into the Rockhampton Museum of Art, engaging First Nations representation in the collection, staff and programming.

Tim and Gina Fairfax have contributed year-on-year to Brisbane Festival and support the commissioning of new contemporary works. Fairfax is president of the QAGOMA Foundation, sits on the board of the National Gallery of Australia Foundation, and, like his wife, is a life member of Philanthropy Australia. While his family foundation does not support political parties or lobby groups, the Fairfax name remains a powerful one.

88. Chelsea Warr – Queensland Academy of Sport CEO

Chelsea Warr returned home to Brisbane last year after playing a central role in the revival of British Olympic sport at the London and Rio Olympics through her role heading up UK Sport.

Very medal-orientated, she faces the challenge of aligning the QAS program to the Brisbane Olympic countdown, but her influence has already been shown by the academy having convinced the government to invest heavily in a full refurbishment of its facilities at Nathan.

The government has also funded the unique “You For 32” talent identification program that is Warr’s brainchild, where thousands of schoolkids across the state will have their physical and mental attributes assessed to see if they have what it takes to be a future Olympian.

The Premier sees Warr as central to the success of the Brisbane Games in 2032, and so expect to see her influence grow as the countdown continues.

87. Peter Coaldrake – Public sector and accountability reviewer, QPAC chair

This well-respected force in the education sector has instigated groundbreaking reform with his damning government-commissioned “Let the Sunshine In” review handed down in June. The report into the culture and accountability of the public service made 14 recommendations, a key one being the Queensland government release cabinet papers within 30 days instead of 30 years.

Coaldrake said people were more likely to trust their governments if decisions that affect their lives and spend taxpayers’ funds were “made in the open and subject to scrutiny”.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has committed to implementing his reforms.

With the review done and dusted, Coaldrake’s focus will return to his two other jobs, as chief commissioner of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency and chair of QPAC.

He was vice-chancellor and CEO of QUT from 2003 to 2017, and was named a Queensland Great by Palaszczuk.

86. John Kotzas – Queensland Performing Arts Centre CEO

The quietly spoken but doggedly determined John Kotzas has shaped the Queensland performing arts scene, always seeking new ways to delight audiences. Kotzas has been the linchpin in bringing the world’s best to Brisbane – from the Bolshoi Ballet to every sellout Broadway musical you can think of – and he has the ear of people who matter.

Who else could get $125 million out of the state government to build a new theatre which is now underway next to the Playhouse at QPAC? Does he play politics? Yes, he’s a master of that dark art but he does it so you wouldn’t even notice.

QPAC is a statutory body and Kotzas was appointed by the government to his role in 2008, though he’s been with the centre for more than 20 years.

85. Gert-Jan de Graaff – Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO

Gert-Jan de Graaff returned to Australia’s third largest airport in 2018 as CEO and, like the rest of the world, had to negotiate the Covid pandemic.

However, while the terminals were empty, he was also rolling out infrastructure on a grand scale, including finishing the $1.1bn parallel runway as well as new parking facilities, terminal redevelopment and road upgrades. Brisbane Airport (BNE) was also unlocking more than 2700ha of leasehold land which represents one of South East Queensland’s largest contiguous single-owner sites.

BNE’s property arm has been instrumental in the development of Skygate and BNE Auto Mall and is home to 425 businesses with nearly 24,000 workers.

International flights and domestic services are returning, but it will be a long time before activity returns to pre-Covid levels and de Graaff has lobbied state and federal governments for greater assistance to the industry.

He is also on the board of directors for the Australian Airlines Association Airport Council International.

84. Philip Bacon – art dealer and philanthropist

From his base at Philip Bacon Galleries in Fortitude Valley, regarded by many as Australia’s finest commercial art gallery, Bacon has quietly and astutely become a leading arts figure and a philanthropist of significance.

He influences the Queensland aesthetic in a myriad of ways. The well-connected Bacon sits on the board of directors of Opera Australia and is chair of the Opera Australia Capital Fund.

He is deputy chair of the National Gallery of Australia Foundation, a member of the QAGOMA Foundation and deputy chair of Brisbane Festival.

Bacon is also chairing the art advisory panel for Queen’s Wharf Brisbane.

83. Lawrence Springborg – State LNP president

Lawrence Springborg served as Queensland opposition leader on three separate occasions as National Party chief and later the merged Liberal-National Party. Once famous for being photographed ironing his business shirt for the day while clad only in a towel, he is now the godfather of his side of politics in the state - having been appointed Queensland LNP president last year. He is also playing a pivotal role in the resurgence of the party following the humbling 2022 federal election defeat to Labor.

In July it was revealed Springborg sought the counsel of former National Party leader Rob Borbidge to look into Queensland’s input in the federal election.

And in August, he announced Lincoln Folo, state director of the Nationals, would move up as federal director while continuing to assist Queensland’s preparations ahead of the 2024 poll.

82. Mark and Tracy Stockwell – Stockwell MD, Swimming Australia president

A power couple in sport, investment and property. Mark has a knack for identifying opportunities in the retail, residential and industrial market while Tracy’s sage views carry enormous weight in the swimming world, in particular.

With strong political connections, Mark is the inaugural chairman of Trade and Investment Queensland, the government’s foreign investment and export program.

A former Olympic swimmer like his wife, he was chair of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.

Tracy was nominated by former prime minister Scott Morrison to be a director of the Organising Committee Board for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. She was an obvious choice, given her time on the board of Queensland Events Corporation and with the Queensland Academy of Sport. And she retained the position even after the election of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who could have punted her.

81. Jarrod Bleijie – Deputy Opposition leader

Former attorney-general Jarrod Bleijie was elevated to deputy leader of the LNP Opposition earlier this year after David Janetzki stood down.

Bleijie, who has been a member of parliament since 2009 then aged 26, has used his showmanship to wield power as a parliamentary tactician – even though as any Opposition member his cut-through is sometimes debatable.

Bleijie, the Member for Kawana on the Sunshine Coast, is also shadow minister for state development, infrastructure and planning, shadow minister for Olympic and Paralympic infrastructure and jobs, and shadow minister for industrial relations.

80. Jeannette Young – Governor of Queensland

After a public and controversial stint as the state’s chief health officer, Jeannette Young was appointed to this diplomatic role in 2021 by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who had relied on Young’s advice throughout the Covid crisis.

The extent of the doctor’s influence was at its peak during the first two years of the pandemic but it has decreased since, although Deputy Premier Steven Miles was keen to point out in July that the decision to push ahead with the Wellcamp quarantine facility – now recognised as one of the government’s worst-ever decisions – was made by Young.

Unlike the immediate former resident of Government House, Paul de Jersey, Young is less involved in actively advising the government and far more content to take a back seat, relishing the quiet after the chaos of her time dealing publicly with Covid.

79. Alison Smith – Local Government Association of Queensland CEO

With decades of experience in state government and corporate advisory roles, this former journalist leads the LGAQ advocacy team, working with state and federal governments on policy positions and funding priorities critical to Queensland’s 77 councils and their communities.

Alison Smith has previously worked with ASX-100 companies in corporate affairs and ran group external affairs for The Star Entertainment Group.

She also chairs the Brisbane Festival board and is married to Paul Lucas, a former Queensland deputy premier who is a high-level consultant in corporate circles.

78. Tom Seymour – PwC Australia chief executive

As the Brisbane-based chief executive, Tom Seymour leads a national team of 700 partners and 8000 staff across PwC’s three businesses of assurance, financial advisory and consulting.

Seymour has more than 25 years’ experience on taxation matters, particularly in the infrastructure, mining and energy industry sectors.

On the political side of the ledger, Seymour has played a key role in PwC’s tax policy agenda, working with state and federal governments and is a regular contributor to public debates on tax policy and broader economic reform.

He is the chair of PwC’s Elevate Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan and a board member of Top Education Limited.

77. Jenny Hill – Mayor of Townsville

This year marks 10 years since Jenny Hill was elected as Townsville’s first female mayor. Hill is known for her tenacity and dedication to the north Queensland community. She’s also good friends with the Premier, a fellow member of the Right faction.

Hill has more than 20 years’ experience in local government and formerly served as a scientist with mining companies, the Department of Primary Industries, James Cook University and Townsville Hospital.

She has also completed a Masters of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at James Cook University, which included management, economics and accounting.

76. Billy Slater – Queensland State of Origin coach

Billy Slater could have run for premier and got the job after guiding Queensland to victory in the first State of Origin match after a preparation which was very much from the handbook of the game’s Mr Meticulous.

He brought his old mates Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith in to look after loose threads, he called up King Wally for a special “this is what it means speech’’ and he even gave Queensland’s back three special catching practice.

When the Maroons sensationally won the series, Queensland’s entire mood lifted, which makes this coach a man of influence.

75. David Littleproud – Federal Deputy Opposition Leader, National Party Leader

The former rural banker turned Nationals-aligned MP has enjoyed a meteoric rise. Pegged as a future party leader early on, he became a cabinet minister in his first term in Parliament and took on the top job by his third.

He has a close working relationship with Opposition leader Peter Dutton, which puts the two Queenslanders in a strong position but with lots of work to do.

Even within the LNP, Littleproud has collaborated with Dutton and State Opposition leader David Crisafulli to get Lawrence Springborg installed as the state party’s president.

While the National party remains divided after a tumultuous few years of leadership spills, Littleproud has the drive and ability to lead them into the future if he is careful.

74. Andrew Fraser – Griffith University incoming Chancellor

Becoming Queensland’s second youngest treasurer at age 30 might have been seen as peaking early for Andrew Fraser, but he has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

Appointed Chancellor of Griffith University as of October, Fraser has a finger in many pies. He is on the board of directors of the Brisbane Broncos as well as being president of Motorsport Australia and chair of OrangeSky Australia.

As the former chair of Sunsuper, he oversaw its merger with QSuper to form the Australian Retirement Trust, where he now serves as a board director. His previous roles include head of strategy and investment at the National Rugby League, and he was a Queensland MP from 2004-12, serving also as deputy premier and in several ministerial portfolios.

Fraser has negotiated billion-dollar business deals, although he shies away from media coverage and publicity where possible these days.

73. Margaret McMurdo – Women’s Safety and Justice Task Force chair

Legal trailblazer Margaret McMurdo was the first woman appointed a judge of Queensland’s District and Children’s Courts and the first female presiding judge of an appellate court in Australia when appointed president of the Court of Appeal.

Since retiring as president in 2017, Justice McMurdo has not slowed down, running Victoria’s Lawyer X Royal Commission and chairing Queensland’s Women’s Safety and Justice Task Force examining coercive control and other domestic violence issues.

She is a well-respected voice of reason.

McMurdo began her legal career in 1975 as clerk to Judge Alan Demack before being admitted to the bar the following year and working in the Public Defender’s Office and private practice until her appointment to the bench.

72. Cameron Smith – golf superstar

Cam Smith has made golf cool again for the people least likely to play it – the mullet-wearing, rev-headed working class boys – bringing the elite sport back to the common man.

His signature is seen as the key tipping point which could change the balance of power in world golf as he prepares to join Greg Norman’s LIV golf troupe on a sign-on fee of $US100 million - making him, with the stroke of a pen, Australia’s highest paid sports star.

Smith still cherishes his association with the north Brisbane course of Wantima where he started and still cheers passionately for the Broncos and Queensland team in the State of Origin series despite having to watch the action on tour overseas.

71. Ian O’Connor – Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees chair

Ian O’Connor is a respected steady hand behind the scenes at what some would argue is our premier cultural institution.

He is a down to earth, low-key operator with a passion for the arts and has chaired the board of trustees at QAGOMA since 2017. With the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art administered under the one act, O’Connor is responsible for the governance of both.

A former deputy chair of Trade and Investment Queensland, he was the influential vice-chancellor and president of Griffith University from 2005 to 2018.

He is married to Anna Reynolds, who runs the Brisbane Portrait Prize, making them an influential couple in the arts world.

70. Scott Hutchinson – Hutchinson Builders chairman

If there’s major construction under way in Queensland, you’re bound to see the Hutchinson name plastered across cranes and building sites. At the helm of this property juggernaut is Scott Hutchinson, steering the 1912-established family firm through some of the biggest growth in its history.

Now, as Australia’s largest privately-owned building company, Hutchies – as it is commonly known – has built 7500-plus projects with a combined value of more than $35bn.

A major employer, it has more than 1400 permanent staff and 10,000 subcontractors and suppliers.

Scott Hutchinson’s network extends far and wide, not least of which is his band of brothers from his Brisbane Boys’ College days, including fellow property kingpin Don O’Rorke. Hutchinson is also a player in the live music space, bankrolling venues including The Fortitude Valley Music Hall, The Triffid and The Sound Garden.

69. Bevan Slattery – Superloop and NEXTDC founder

Bevan Slattery’s power in the business sector is shown that when he sells or buys, the market follows. This serial entrepreneur has become one of the country’s highest profile tech leaders over the past decade, listing a bunch of companies on the ASX, including data centre group NEXTDC, telco infrastructure firm Superloop and cloud connectivity provider Megaport.

He is also the founder of Cloudscene, the world’s largest data centre and service provider directory.

The former North Rockhampton State High School student’s most ambitious project is HyperOne, a 20,000km digital super highway that will connect every major Australian city.

Construction of the $1.5bn fibre optic network, the largest private digital infrastructure project ever undertaken in Australia, is already underway and could end up being his greatest legacy. He has also employed as a special adviser former Palaszczuk Government minister Kate Jones since early last year, and so has benefited from her extensive network.

68. Cameron Costello – Queensland Tourism Industry Council deputy chair

A close mate of former politician Jackie Trad and so well connected in state Labor circles, Cameron Costello is a big voice in Indigenous affairs.

A Quandamooka man, he is a member of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Legacy Committee and Arts Queensland’s First Nations Arts and Cultural Panel, as well as senior manager of Indigenous engagement at the University of Queensland business school.

At the QTIC, he works under Shane Reilly looking after its strong membership base of more than 4000 key operators in the tourism space.

Costello is also a First Nations Consultative Committee member for the Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.

67. Sarah Magusara – influencer

She might not dabble in politics, but with almost 18 million followers on Tiktok alone, this young Queenslander recently rated as Australia’s top influencer so she certainly has some, well, influence.

At just 21, the Brisbane social media star and her bubbly dance and fitness videos have made her famous – in her demographic, at least. To the younger crowd, she’s the girl you aspire to be, even if the older crowd has never heard of her, until now.

After enduring the challenges of a teen pregnancy, fast-tracking Year 12, Magusara, who is of Filipino descent, has leveraged her dance skills and turned the platform into a lucrative career.

She also has 1.2 million followers on Instagram and 367,000 YouTube subscribers, which according to metrics crunched by The Oz’s Influence Index means she has true influence over her fans, not simply large followings.

66. Mike Kaiser – Department of State Development director-general

Since joining the public service in January 2021 as director-general of the Department of Resources, Mike Kaiser has quickly acquired the largest portfolio, taking it on a little over a year later.

He is also chair of the Economic Development Board (Queensland), and a member of the Southbank Corporation board and Trade and Investment Queensland board.

Kaiser has been praised by insiders as being one of the few people who can operate between the public and private sector easily.

He is a former Labor state secretary, Woodridge MP and partner at KPMG with degrees in electrical engineering and economics.

In 2007 he was chief of staff to then Premier Anna Bligh and in 2009 joined NBN Co, the company established by the Rudd Government to operate a national broadband network.

65. Brett Clark – ePharmacy managing director

In certain business, philanthropic and sporting circles, Brett Clark’s name is already well known. His profile is only going to grow over the next 10 years. Clark, one of Queensland’s e-commerce pioneers, was appointed to the board of the Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in April.

Few could argue with his credentials. He is a former chairman of Queensland Ballet and was appointed chairman of Queensland Rugby Union in March.

He has a lifelong connection with rugby, having played it at Brisbane Grammar School. But perhaps while not knowing his name, most Queenslanders would be familiar with his work as a pharmacist. Clark co-founded ePharmacy.com.au, a company that has its roots in the dot.com boom of the late 1990s.

His partners sold part of their online business to the Chemist Warehouse Group in 2005 in exchange for a stake in the pharmacy giant. Clark is managing partner of Chemist Warehouse Queensland and northern NSW.

64. Kate Ruttiman – Queensland Teachers Union general secretary

As the hands-on administrator of the state’s powerful teachers’ union, Kate Ruttiman has paramount influence on Queensland’s public education system.

The QTU represents the interests of 48,000 member teachers in the state’s primary, secondary and special schools, colleges, TAFE institutes and other educational facilities.

Almost nothing happens in Queensland state education without union approval. Case in point: earlier this year the union pushed Education Minister Grace Grace into an embarrassing backflip. Having announced the school year would be extended by a week, to make up for a two-week delayed start in a bid to miss the Omicron peak, the government was forced to scrap the plan days later due to QTU outcry.

A former economics teacher, Ruttiman is also a trustee of QSuper and honorary president of the Queensland Council of Unions.

63. Graham and Jude Turner – Flight Centre CEO, Spicers Retreats founders

Being willing to step on toes rather than suck up to those holding political office is the sign of true power, and “Skroo” – as Graham is known by all – has shown this in spades during the pandemic.

He has sat seemingly above it all, actively using his profile to advocate for better outcomes for the sector, particularly during the period of border closures.

He has emerged as perhaps the most trusted voice of this critical sector to the Queensland economy.

But this is a partnership too, with Skroo and Jude coming a long way since they founded, decades ago, the Top Deck travel company, which shuffled young backpackers around Europe for less than $10 a day.

Flight Centre is now the country’s biggest travel business, and having the company headquarters in Brisbane is a significant feather in the Queensland tourism industry’s cap. Their Spicers resorts brand, meanwhile, has set a benchmark for luxury accommodation.

62. Brett Godfrey – Tourism and Events Queensland chairman

As the co-founder with Sir Richard Branson in 2000 of Virgin Blue airlines – the precursor to Virgin Australia of which Brett Godfrey was its long serving CEO – this entrepreneurial accountant is instrumental in the direction of the state’s $20 billion-plus tourism sector.

He also has a finger on the pulse of the arts, sport and entertainment industries and knows exactly who to enlist to get things done.

Nothing gets Tourism and Events Queensland support without Godfrey’s sign-off, and that means many of the state’s biggest and most lucrative events. These include the Magic Millions carnival, Brisbane Festival, PGA tournament, QPAC International Series, Woodford Folk Festival, Gympie Music Muster, NRL Magic Round and Bigsound.

He also manages a portfolio of tourism assets including Noosa’s Makepeace Island (another venture with his good mate Branson, and recent co-owners Radek Sali, and Stuart Giles and Cathie Reid) and a growing number of hotels, lodges and historic properties interstate. He has been awarded the Australian Centenary Medal for his service to tourism and aviation.

61. Mark Jamieson – LGAQ president, Sunshine Coast mayor

A proactive warrior for Sunshine Coast tourism, Mark Jamieson was first elected mayor in 2012 and is currently serving his third term. He was re-elected as president of the LGAQ in 2020 and will hold the position for four years.

This means he also presides over the LGAQ board and policy executive, extending his reach across the state. During his first term as mayor, Jamieson led the development of a 20-year blueprint for a new economy for the Sunshine Coast and the implementation of a new planning scheme.

Prior to politics, he held chief executive and senior leadership roles in the private sector.

60. Jim Murphy – Premier’s chief of staff

A seasoned operator, Jim Murphy guards Annastacia Palaszczuk fiercely and controls access to her. A former Queensland under treasurer, he was appointed her leading adviser in early 2020, just as Covid hit.

He replaced David Barbagallo, stood down from the role in September 2019 after revelations a company he part-owned had been awarded a $267,000 government grant.

Murphy had moved to Sydney in 2018 to be closer to his family, throwing in his under treasurer role for which he was well respected.

He has worked with the International Monetary Fund in the US, as well as the ANZ Bank and the Federal Treasury. He also served as chief of staff to former prime minister Kevin Rudd.

59. Katarina Carroll – Queensland Police Commissioner

Katarina Carroll has had a mixed run in the top job managing Queensland policing. Plagued by an inquiry into officers’ response to domestic violence issues, Carroll is seeking to remain in her position, claiming she has more work to do.

Carroll joined the service in 1983 and is Queensland’s first ever female commissioner. She earned her stripes as operations commander for the G20 Summit, which saw world leaders descend on Brisbane amid unfounded concerns of terrorist activity.

Carroll has also served as commissioner for the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

During the height of the pandemic, however, it was deputy police commissioner

Steve Gollschewski who stole the limelight.

Queensland’s State Disaster co-ordinator since 2013, Gollschewski attended daily press conferences with the Premier, CHO and Health Minister, becoming a trusted face during difficult times.

58. Baz Luhrmann – Hollywood director

US-based Baz Luhrmann may not come to Queensland often but when he does everyone takes notice, particularly the starry-eyed Premier.

The flamboyant film director’s decision to film his 2022 biopic Elvis entirely in Queensland injected more than $130m into the state’s economy.

The production, staggered over three years due to the impact of Covid, employed almost 1000 Queenslanders and was a boost for businesses with stars such as Tom Hanks dropping in and providing priceless publicity.

The film’s Australian premiere on the Gold Coast was arguably the red carpet event of the year, with Annastacia Palaszczuk among the key guests.

57. Robbie Cooke – Star Entertainment Group incoming CEO

Robbie Cooke has landed one of the most powerful jobs in Queensland, taking up the role in early 2023 as the gambling group gets set to open the first stage of Brisbane’s $3.6bn Queen’s Wharf development.

The appointment of Cooke also signals Star shifting its focus increasingly towards South East Queensland. Star’s Gold Coast masterplan is well under way and the 2032 Olympic Games are expected to produce a decade of growth.

Cooke, a former Brisbane Grammar School student who graduated from the University of Queensland in commerce and law, started his career at UNiTAB in Brisbane in 1999 as head of strategy and legal counsel.

He then joined accommodation booking company Wotif.com before taking the reins from founder Graeme Wood and guiding its ASX debut. He returned to Tatts Group as CEO in 2013 until it merged with Tabcorp in 2017. Most recently, Cooke has been CEO of Sydney-based, ASX-listed fintech Tyro Payments.

56. Pauline Hanson – Queensland Senator

Recently re-elected for her second six-year term, Pauline Hanson has less of the shock factor that saw her the centre of focus when she was first catapulted back into politics in 2016.

Her party One Nation no longer retains a share of the balance of power that it once did, but that does not mean she is not a force to be reckoned with. She has amassed a loyal following of voters and is still able to court controversy to some effect, using stunts to manipulate social and traditional media coverage.

She is also setting herself up to lead the “no” vote for the planned referendum on a Voice to Parliament, which could see a return to prominence for the firebrand Senator.

55. Gillon McLachlan – AFL chief executive

His tenure as the game’s head honcho will end this season and his star does not burn as bright in this non-AFL state as it does in the southern and western states, but McLachlan is still one of sport’s most powerful figures in Queensland.

Not only did he play a significant role in Brisbane getting the first AFL grand final held outside Melbourne during the pandemic (in 2020), he was also a key driver in the construction of Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast and, in recent years, as the man with a decisive say in fixtures, was an important voice in the Lions’ form surge being recognised with more plum television timeslots.

He has an excellent working relationship with the Queensland Premier and Federal Sports Minister Anika Wells. The hot tip is to expect to see more of him in Queensland after he leaves the top AFL job.

54. Cresta Richardson – Queensland Teachers Union president

She forms a formidable duo with QTU general secretary Kate Ruttiman, effectively telling the state government how education in Queensland should be done, with the interests of teachers at the forefront.

The public face of the QTU, Cresta Richardson replaced Kevin Bates (who moved to the Australian Education Union in early 2021) and has slid easily into the job, having been its vice president.

A former teacher, head of curriculum and deputy principal, Richardson also sits on the board of the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

Education Minister Grace Grace, a loyal unionist, is known to backflip on decisions if the QTU disagrees with them.

53. Shane Doherty – Premier’s deputy chief of staff

A former television reporter, Shane Doherty has been working for Annastacia Palaszczuk for the past five years, heading up her always-growing team of spin doctors and social media content producers.

Doherty is one of the Premier’s closest confidantes, but that trust has not always paid dividends – with his often combative and dismissive approach to media requests responsible for some of Palaszczuk’s biggest press conference bloopers and some of her worst decisions.

52. Peter Dutton – Federal Opposition leader

He’s the hard-nosed former police officer with a tough exterior tasked with reviving the highly-wounded Liberal Party. The re-sell of Peter Dutton to the public began almost as soon as the Australian Electoral Commission started counting postal votes.

He has represented the Queensland seat of Dickson in the House of Representatives since 2001 and held ministerial office in the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments.

The former Defence and Home Affairs Minister is “pragmatic” and “witty”, according to his supporters. Ultimately, time will tell if the sum of Dutton’s character can turn the Coalition ship around.

51. Henry Palaszczuk – Premier’s father, former politician

Who better for the Premier to take advice from than her own father, a Labor stalwart who served the party for decades?

While he is currently not the man always by Palaszczuk’s side, with surgeon Reza Adib assuming that position, he is still known to be brutally honest with his daughter.

Henry Palaszczuk, who was born in Germany to Polish parents, started his career as a teacher but soon moved into the Labor party machine, firstly as secretary of the Inala branch then as president of various electorate committees for state and federal governments.

From the Beattie government’s election in 1998 to his retirement in 2006, Palaszczuk served as Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries, Minister for Rural Communities, and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines.

When he hung up his political boots, his daughter Stacia stepped in to fill them, as the Member for Inala.