George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
Qld politicians have been handed extra money for allowances, including travel and vehicles, a spike that is more than health workers have been offered in wage negotiations. THIS IS GEORGE STREET BEAT
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GSB readers will be relieved to know struggling Queensland politicians were just handed another increase to their already generous allowances – and it’s more than they’ve offered health workers in wage rises this year.
The independent tribunal responsible for setting politicians’ pay said it was aware of how “continuing inflationary pressures” were putting pressure on the budgets of our pollies.
Ho hum.
They’ve decided to increase the Electorate and Communication Allowance – gifted so MPs can carpet bomb your mailbox with personally-branded rubbish – by 4.1 per cent.
More notable is the increase in the motor vehicle allowance, which unlike your tax return is paid to politicians in a lump sum with no questions asked.
That will also rise 4.1 per cent – or an extra $1500 on average.
What about the soaring cost of travelling? Don’t worry, that rises too.
The daily allowance handed to politicians travelling in Australia rises from $416 to $444.
For the record, the government’s current pay wage offer is an average of 2.67 per cent per annum for the next three years.
NO PLACE FOR DUTTON HERE
Peter Dutton might do best to look beyond Queensland for a cushy new gig because the Crisafulli Government won’t be appointing him anytime soon.
Who does he think he is anyway, John Sosso?
When asked if the defeated opposition leader might be offered a board or chief executive role in the state, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said he’d “not considered that”.
Mr Bleijie did toss a few crumbs of compassion Mr Dutton’s way, calling him “an amazing human being” and noting he’d be grieving the political equivalent of a car crash in slow motion – losing both the election and his seat.
With more than half-a-dozen LNP liked people getting state jobs since October 26 (both major parties do it), we wouldn’t be surprised if Mr Dutton is also reincarnated.
SPEAKER’S TRAVEL
Speaker Pat Weir isn’t wasting an opportunity to take some personal time on his two-week trip to the United Kingdom.
Mr Speaker is there as part of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Mid-Year Executive Committee Meeting where he’ll catch up with the presiding officers and parliamentary staff at the Scottish and Welsh parliaments for a chinwag.
He says the talks with the unicameral parliaments will focus on parliamentary practices, committee systems, processes for scrutiny and budget estimates processes.
Could Queensland finally see an end to the partisan estimates protection racket?
We’ll wait and see.
In the meantime, Mr Speaker has added a few personal days to his trip “with costs for this component to be borne by me personally”.
Finally, someone is setting the tone for respect of taxpayer cash.
Taxpayers will still stump-up less than $8000 for the trip, which Mr Speaker will take alone.
RUN IT STRAIGHT
In political news GSB didn’t think we’d be bringing you this week, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli wants to take a hit up from his New South Wales counterpart Chris Minns.
The revelation happened at Magic Round when the Premier was asked by league legend Andrew Johns: “How would you go running it straight at Chris Minns?”
Without missing a beat, our man in Maroon laid down the challenge: “I’m in if he’s in … Minnsy, you listening?”
Now it seems, halftime of State of Origin game one, Labor vs LNP will be settled once and for all.
Amid global anger and unrest, how good is Australian politics?
SPLASH FOR LEAVING DG
A changing of the guard in Queensland’s public service has been kept on the downlow, with Water Minister Ann Leahy now seeking a permanent director-general after Linda Dobe left her role a month ago.
There was no formal announcement about Ms Dobe’s departure despite her 26 years with the public service.
However, a farewell event was held — attended by both Ms Leahy and Premier David Crisafulli who offered “very kind words” in tribute to her decades of service.
Ms Dobe said it was a “huge leap of faith” to leave the Queensland Government after 26 years without another job lined up, but she was excited to take a break, spend more time with loved ones, and explore new opportunities.
“I have had an incredibly rewarding career serving the people of Queensland,” she wrote, reflecting on a tenure that spanned governments of both sides of politics.
Ms Dobe was notably one of the Labor-appointed directors-general to stay on under the new LNP government.
Joshua Hannan has taken the reins in an acting capacity while a permanent appointment is considered.
Originally published as George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
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