Qld politics news and gossip: George Street Beat
A sweet perk intended to be only for MPs has been used by chiefs of staff and even family members, sparking a crackdown. THIS IS GEORGE STREET BEAT
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Free inner-city parking is one of the most lucrative perks of a member of parliament.
Every MP is offered a parking spot underneath the Queensland Parliament Annexe, accessible with their keycard.
However, over time, staffers and even family members of MPs have secured access to the underground garage.
GSB heard there was a reset in recent weeks where Queensland Parliament wiped the access of everyone except politicians.
Chiefs of staff were then forced to reapply for access and we heard the parliament was more strict on approvals.
Only MPs have a car park under the annexe, but on many occasions political staffers drive their bosses into work – justifying access.
It’s a cool perk.
Parking between 9am and 6pm at the Wintergarden would cost the ordinary Queenslander up to $90.
GHOST OF NEWMAN
More than a decade since the government entered a $1.1bn lease agreement for the “Tower of Power” and taxpayers still have a $513m tab to cover.
Just a cool $11.9m per storey.
When Campbell Newman signed Queensland up for a long-term stay at Brisbane’s most controversial office block back in 2013, critics branded it a monument to ego.
Turns out it’s also a monument to accounting standards.
Thanks to a 2019 rule change, the entire remaining 1 William Street lease liability — all $513m of it — is parked on the state’s balance sheet under “leases and similar arrangements.”
It’s like putting your Afterpay bill for that designer couch in the “mortgage” column.
Finance types call it a “net present value of outstanding lease payments.”
Normal people call it “half a billion dollars for politicians to argue over who gets the river view.”
So while Premier David Crisafulli’s ministers preach belt-tightening and debt reduction, the state’s still essentially Airbnb-ing 1 William at a rate that could fund a new hospital or 90 per cent of the aquatic centre.
Ebony is the new ivory tower.
WAGE WAR
As unions threaten strike action for a wage rise Queensland politicians have quietly pocketed a tidy increase to their already generous salaries.
On Tuesday the pay of every one of our 93 members of parliament rose by 3 per cent – which equates to $13,873 for Premier David Crisafulli.
He now pockets $476,323 each year – $9160 each week before tax.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles and government ministers get an $11,368 increase to $390,278 each year.
The 27 backbench and committee members receive a $6355 bump to $218,187.
Independent MP Jimmy Sullivan, whose appointment by Labor to a committee was blocked by the government in February, is the only MP without a higher duty.
But he’ll still pocket $189,505 each year.
GSB has crunched the numbers and we can reveal you will pay $26.1m this year for politicians.
July 1 marked the end of a three-year, 11 per cent, wage increase set by the Queensland Independent Remuneration Tribunal in 2023.
The tribunal will soon start its work to determine future increases.
We doubt MPs will protest at the bottom of 1 William Street for nation-leading wages.
LUCKIEST POLITICIAN?
Perhaps it is worth paying attention to the horses that Queensland’s Attorney-General puts her bets on, because Deb Frecklington seems to be on a winning streak.
At Thursday’s Queensland Media Club luncheon, Ms Frecklington’s name was yet again plucked from the prize barrel, this time for an exclusive airport runway tour.
She graciously called for a redraw.
Just a week earlier, at a Parliament House event celebrating the Wide Bay region’s best produce, Ms Frecklington made a beeline for the raffle table. Barely a minute after slipping her name in … boom, she had won a trip to Lady Elliot Island.
The Attorney-General was so gobsmacked she glanced around the room with an incredulous: “Really?”
In true Queensland fashion, a few good-humoured hecklers throughout the room chimed in: “Redraw!”
If this keeps up, she might want to try her hand at Lotto, have a night at the casino tables, or at least stay away from meat tray raffles so the rest of us can win something too.
WHERE’S MILES?
Queensland’s Opposition Leader has swapped the bear pit of parliament for the chaos of school holidays, taking the week off to spend time with his kids.
It’s a bold move straight after budget week, where Steven Miles spent days accusing Treasurer David Janetzki of recycling Labor policies and failing to offer real cost of living relief to Queenslanders.
Instead of embarking on a post-budget tour, he slipped into dad mode and joined the school holiday crowds for some quality family time.
To be fair, anyone who survived Janetzki saying “downward pressure” 37 times would be craving their own downtime too. Even if that means posting “thirsty” gym videos every now and then.
OLYMPIC EXIT
Steven Miles wasn’t the only politician taking a break.
Sport and Olympic Games Minister Tim Mander skipped a major 2032 infrastructure update delivered by his boss, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie on Thursday.
Mr Bleijie revealed a new funding agreement with Canberra and progress on minor venue works to a packed convention centre on Thursday, but Mr Mander was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, the minister’s capable staffer snuck along to take notes and catch him up later.
FLIRTY BIRDY
Politics has a new odd couple – conservative spear thrower Mr Bleijie and true believer Logan Mayor Jon Raven.
Mr Bleijie, fresh from handing Mr Raven $135m for a new wastewater plant on Sunday, singled out the Labor-aligned mayor at Thursday’s Queensland Media Club event.
The Deputy Premier revealed tenders would go out to start work at Logan Indoor Sport Centre.
“You’re doing well mate, for a mayor that usually wears red,” he said.
“Very grateful … my other mayors are jealous.”
BLANK BOOKS
Mr Bleijie tempered his relationship with Mr Raven long enough to give some attention to his federal counterpart as infrastructure minister Catherine King – who was there to celebrate a new funding deal for the Games.
They exchanged black folders for the cameras but, oddly, the funding deal hadn’t been signed.
It could only leave GSB to speculate what was contained in the two folders held aloft in the middle of the media club speech.
Perhaps Ms King received a signed picture of Mr Bleijie as Elvis?
Did Ms King hand the deputy a Building Brisbane Arena for Dummies handbook?
DOGGED AT DEPARTURES
Spotted: Dan Purdie, our very own top cop in Cabinet, had a run in with the law in the departure lounge after being sniffed out by none other than a drug detection dog from his own force.
The canine seemed to have zeroed in on the police minister, even jumping up onto his lap for a thorough inspection.
Purdie posted about the incident with the cheeky caption: “Who’s a good boy!? Me, I swear!”
Looks like even ministers aren’t above a random sniff test.
CANNOLI CONFESSIONS 2.0
We finally have photo evidence of the Crisafulli-cannoli relationship.
Eyes closed, dainty grip, with a pinky out - you can literally see how much the Premier loves his dessert cannoli’s.
Is this the key to his heart?
GSB has added this to our Crisafulli food file next to the meat pie.
What’s next?
Originally published as Qld politics news and gossip: George Street Beat
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