George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
Dale Last has been chipped for “cheerleading” oil and gas projects after taking six others on a $30,000 trade mission. THIS IS GEORGE STREET BEAT
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Dale Last has been chipped for “cheerleading” oil and gas projects in Queensland after taking himself and six others on a $30,000 trade mission across the Pacific Ocean.
The Resources Minister’s key focus during the trip was to “repair relationships with international investors” and drum-up business for the state’s resource sector.
All of this while slumming it luxury hotels in Washington and New York.
But it seems the Queensland Conservation Council aren’t buying it.
“It would irritate me if we’re paying, as taxpayers, paying money for them to go and be cheerleaders for polluting coal and gas,” director Dave Copeman said.
As he rubbed shoulders with countless mineral and mining magnates and bureaucrats, Mr Last spent seven nights at the cushy Homewood Suites Hilton in Washington and two nights at The Renwick in the Big Apple – touted as “luxury residential-style accommodation”.
The cherry on this diplomatic sundae? A month after he returned from this important trade mission, Australia copped a 10 per cent tariff from the Trump administration.
MR FIX-IT SETS SIGHTS ON QBCC
Ipswich’s corruption-era caretaker Greg Chemello is back – this time to mop up the troubled Queensland Building and Construction Commission.
He’s been tapped as chair to lead a full cultural and efficiency overhaul, alongside new chief executive Angelo Lambrinos and Amelia Hodge.
Mr Chemello’s resume reads like a who’s who of infrastructure gigs: Moreton Bay chief executive, Gabba 2000 Project Director, and a go-to man for when governments panic.
Ms Hodge can add her appointment to the lengthy list of roles she too has served, as a Games Legacy and Growth committee member, and executive roles with the Australian Property Institute and Queensland Law Society.
The message from Housing Minister Sam O’Connor? Time to tidy house.
SCOMO, PALASZCZUK TARGETED BY DE BRENNI
Former Energy Minister Mick de Brenni has used his inclusion into the Smart Energy Hall of Fame to roast Scott Morrison and declare Annastacia Palaszczuk a climate visionary.
On LinkedIn, naturally.
He proudly showcased his new trophy on the professional social media site, which he claimed to accept with “a great sense of humility” all while criticising Mr Morrison and his energy minister Angus Taylor for their “small mindedness” and poor efforts to decarbonise.
And because Australia is currently in election mode – he made sure to credit Albanese’s energy policy and name-drop former Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk “the great energy reformer”.
“She is both brave and measured,” he said.
Nothing says humble like a Labor campaign ad and a love letter to Annastacia.
LEST WE FORGET
Forget Christmas – Fiona Simpson season is here. Just days out from Anzac Day, the Member for Maroochydore took to social media to celebrate the five-year anniversary of her dramatic musical debut Lest We Forget.
It’s a candid reminder of when the pandemic lockdown impacted our Anzac services, when people stood at their driveways for Dawn Services instead during a confusing time for our veterans.
It motivated Ms Simpson to sing a “special song” about the ANZAC spirit, which includes the lyrics, “raise thankful hearts, thankful for their service, though time and miles apart.”
The power ballad, recorded with local artist Tanya McFadyen Bandera, lives on as part tribute, part time capsule.
And yes, you can still get a copy by contacting Ms Simpson’s office. Or, you can watch the YouTube version here.
Easy listening – essential George St viewing.
GET A BUCKET
The Leader of the House is holed up in a tea room and Parliament House is quietly crumbling after Cyclone Alfred did more damage than first thought.
A parliamentary source told GSB there is a risk that plaster ceilings and cornices could fall as a result of the leakage, which has forced closure of several offices for safety reasons and to consider repairs.
A full restoration could take six months.
First step? Figure out where the rain’s getting in.
Then comes the plaster, then the paint – and probably a few migraines for maintenance.
In the meantime, some quick office reshuffling for Hansard staff, and those visiting the Leader of the House Christian Rowan can have a cuppa with him in the tea room.
PARLIAMENT PERSONALITIES
With the state cracking down on schoolyard bullying, we cheekily asked the Premier how MPs might lead by example.
As has been seen in this new term of government, the political arena can be a volatile place with personal attacks often thrown across the parliamentary chamber -including one particularly nasty incident between Health Minister Tim Nicholls and his Opposition counterpart Mark Bailey.
“I think people see in parliament a robust debate and provided that it’s not about personalities, that’s what people will expect,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“They expect us to debate, it should be a contest of ideas.”
We certainly would like to think so, but with our parliamentarians, many with their own strong personalities, locked together to address issues of the state, it’s bound to get personal.
30 YEARS YOUNG
The YMCA Youth parliament just clocked 30 years – and its alumni are everywhere.
A celebratory ceremony was held in the Red Chamber during Youth Week with the YMCA launching its latest political up-and-comers.
Among them was Member for Pumicestone Ariana Doolan, whose taste for youth politics might have given her the drop in last year’s election and making political history as the youngest woman elected to parliament at 22.
And it was all thanks to lockdown cabin fever.
Ms Doolan was an 18-year-old teacher’s assistant studying business and environmental science when she joined the youth parliament five years ago as the Glasshouse representative, telling GSB she did so while feeling isolated in the pandemic.
The catch-22 of proudly advocating for young incoming talent is that Youth Minister Sam O’Connor could soon one day mentor a Gen Z replacement, something the 33yo sheepishly acknowledged when saying he might already be ageing out of his portfolio.
“I certainly don’t feel youthful some days, but I’ll continue to advocate for young Queenslanders as the youngest member of cabinet,” he said.
Other alumni include high-profile former Labor MP Kate Jones, opposition whip Mark Ryan, cabinet ministers’ policy advisers Jordan Engel and Belinda McEniery, and political journalists Lydia Lynch and Jack McKay.
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Originally published as George Street Beat: Qld politics news and gossip
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