George Street Beat: Queensland Ballet’s $4.2k donation to LNP

A quick look at the Electoral Commission of Queensland’s donor log has revealed an unexpected contribution to the LNP.

• Editorial: Crucial year for Premier to save her job

The LNP and support from the arts community is a phrase very rarely uttered, but financial help has headed to the party from the Queensland Ballet — a total of $4200 donated on January 12 to be exact.

Electoral Commission of Queensland donor log lists the “non-political” donation as being for an event.

Queensland Ballet’s artistic director Li Cunxin, a stalwart of the Brisbane arts scene is known to be a long-time supporter of the LNP.

Queensland Ballet artistic director Li Cunxin. Picture: David Kelly

PREMIER’S PRIVATE JET FLIGHT DURING BIG WET

It can be revealed today that Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk jumped on the private plane of a Queensland richlister to attend a museum opening just as the state’s catastrophic flooding event early last year kicked off.

While skimming the ministerial register of interests to scout what perks our Queensland pollies had been gifted last year, we noticed the Premier (below) had made the flight on a private plane owned by Rockhampton-raised tech entrepreneur Bevan Slattery on February 25 to attend the opening of the Rockhampton Museum of Art.

As those who were subsequently flooded remember only too well, that Friday was the turning point in what would become the disastrous weather event for Brisbane and the state.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk flew on a private jet to Rockhampton at the start of last February’s weather event in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The Premier had told parliament the day before the flight that “severe weather continues to pose a serious threat to our state”, but still flew north. Her office told us this week that Ms Palaszczuk’s attendance at the opening of the $36m museum had been confirmed “two weeks prior”.

A spokesman explained: “Art is an important part of regional tourism and culture and the Rockhampton Museum of Art is host to one of Australia’s best regional art collections.

“At all times the Premier acted on the advice of Emergency Services. As stated in the Premier’s published diaries, on the Friday the Premier chaired two weather briefings with relevant ministers and emergency services via teleconference as well as held a separate teleconference with the Emergency Services Minister.

“The Premier chaired seven weather briefings the Saturday as weather further deteriorated.”

And we can confirm that yes – her diaries do back this up. They also show Ms Palaszczuk holding multiple meetings with QPS Commissioner Katarina Carroll, QFES Commissioner Greg Leach and the weather bureau in the days leading up to the gallery opening, which is presumably how she knew to tell parliament the heaviest rain was predicted for “later today (Thursday) and early tomorrow (Friday)”.

But the Premier didn’t get to enjoy the luxury jet on the way home, with her office saying she took a commercial flight home on the Saturday morning “due to deteriorating weather conditions on Friday evening”.

MILES (STILL!) ALL SMILES

We noted last week we had never seen so much of Deputy turned Acting Premier Steven Miles, with the Palaszczuk government’s number two becoming the most prominent spare since Prince Harry.

Acting Premier Steven Miles is making the most of his time as number one. Picture: Emily Barker.

Well he was back at it again lapping up the final week of duties before the return of the Premier next week following her overseas holiday, with Dr Miles going from Maryborough to Mackay, to Brisbane (holding back to back press conferences in two separate locations) and then to Cairns in just four days.

But when sked by the press pack whether he was enjoying his new-found role, he remained adamant he is “very, very happy being the Deputy Premier of Queensland – it’s a great job and I love it”.

CATCH CRY TIME

All pollies love a good three word slogan – that saying they repeatedly roll out to drill into voters’ minds.

Remember Malcolm Turnbull’s somewhat catchy “jobs and growth” slogan. There was Tony Abbott’s “axe the tax” campaign.

And Julia Gillard condensed the three word slogan into a two word slogan with her “moving forward” catch cry.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has a new catch cry. Picture Emily Barker.

The state Labor government’s favourite slogan is “cut, sack, and sell” when they’re trying to land attacks on the opposition.

Well, we think Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has come up with a three word slogan of his own that’s worth a mention: “Plan, deliver, evaluate.”

Yes, we know, it’s almost as exciting as “jobs and growth”!

We’re told Mr Crisafulli has been using the line for some time, but it has certainly caught George Street Beat’s attention in the last couple of weeks as he spoke on different topics.

On Tuesday as he was talking about the Gladstone maternity crisis, he said the issue was a failure to “plan, deliver and evaluate”.

And last week, when he noted the government was yet to introduce key recommendations from the Coaldrake report, Mr Crisafulli pointed out good governments “plan, deliver and evaluate”.

We wonder how many more times and in how many more ways Mr Crisafulli will roll out this line between now and election day.

WELLS THE HERO

Federal Aged Care Minister Anika Wells has intervened in a health emergency near Brisbane’s Eagle Street precinct while on her way to a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

Anika Wells came to the aid of a woman suffering anaphylaxis.

A Portuguese tourist suffering anaphylaxis due to a suspected food allergy collapsed, with the minister swiftly calling the ambos and waiting with the woman until medicos arrived. Queensland Ambulance confirmed it sent a crew to the area about 5.45pm that day for a woman in her 60s suffering a medical condition. She was taken to the RBWH in a stable condition.

Originally published as George Street Beat: Queensland Ballet’s $4.2k donation to LNP