George Street Beat: Qld political news and gossip

You’d think Capricornia MP Michelle Landry would be stoked about an upgrade of an airport in her CQ seat. But the way it was announced has put noses out of joint.

A flashy upgrade of Rockhampton’s airport is officially complete and the ribbon has been cut.

You’d think Michelle Landry, as the federal Member for Capricornia, would be stoked about the upgrade.

Yet a photo from the event shows her looking as though someone had just told her Beef Week was on the verge of being cancelled.

Ms Landry had been in government for a long-time until last year when she and the rest of the Coalition were relegated to the Opposition.

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

She’s not having a great time as we understand it, and Ms Landry wouldn’t cop it after being told she didn’t need to make a speech at the airport upgrade event despite being a member of the Coalition that had helped fund the dang thing.

“I am outraged by this,” Ms Landry said, at a rogue press conference she held separately after the event.

PREMIER REVEALS CHILDHOOD SPORTING DREAM

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk dreams of playing cricket in primary school were crushed by the patriarchy, and her favourite TV show is Binge comedy-drama sensation The White Lotus — a series she is trying to convince her parents to watch.

These insights and more into the Premier came courtesy of an idea by her ever-growing social media contingent to get her Instagram audience to ask her a few questions.

It is certainly no surprise that the questions were soft and fuzzy like her “favourite part of 2023 so far” and “how are you”. She’s good, by the way, hope you are too.

The entire Palaszczuk Instagram question-and-answer session was high on the cringe scale, with the Premier at times coming off slightly robotic

The revelation she is a fan of The White Lotus — a series, that for the uninitiated, involves significant amounts of debauchery against an idyllic background — is a lot to take in.

She did also reveal that she had aspirations of playing cricket in primary school, but was informed it was a sport for boys.

Ms Palaszczuk could have been a wicked wicketkeeper or batter, but we’ll never know.

Vivian Lobo’s campaign office last year

LNP’s LILLEY STRIKEOUT A LABOR DONOR?

It has likely been a difficult year for Vivian Lobo, who found himself at the centre of an investigation into alleged electoral fraud after he was announced as the LNP’s last-minute candidate for Lilley.

The Australian Federal Police are yet to finalise their investigation into Mr Lobo, who is alleged to have misled the electoral commission on where he lived.

This is why it is a surprise to have seen his name among a list of people who contributed money to Labor in 2021-22.

Vivian Rakesh Lobo’s name was attached to a $1000 payment to Queensland Labor in the Australian Electoral Commission annual returns, eyebrow raising to say the least.

Further investigation shows that far from an act of spite, the money was listed as “other receipt”, rather than a donation, and was made care of a Woolloongabba-based training organisation American College.

Cross checking with the Electoral Commission of Queensland records show the donation was made in November 2021, several months before he was announced as a candidate for the LNP in March, 2022.

The annual returns also showed another blast from the past.

Former deputy premier, one Jacklyn Trad also gave $1500 to the Labor Party. Gone but not forgotten.

Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates

HANDS-ON HEALTH EXPERIENCE

LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates was on the scene this week to help a woman who had collapsed at Redcliffe.

We’ve been told Ms Bates – who is a registered nurse of more than 40 years – was walking along Marine Parade when she rushed to the woman’s aid.

She stepped in to assist the patient – speaking with her and helping to get her into a recovery position while an ambulance was on the way.

Ms Bates was in Redcliffe as part of the LNP’s door knocking efforts in Health Minister Yvette D’Ath’s electorate, which the party has flagged as a key battleground in next year’s state election.

Ms D’Ath holds the Redcliffe electorate with a 6.1 per cent margin, making it among the government’s more marginal seats.

The LNP called for nominations in the electorate last month in a sign that the party will be making it a priority seat to take off Labor.

Originally published as George Street Beat: Qld political news and gossip