Meanwhile, in Queensland: Labor deja vu, Tim Nicholls, drought

Anna Palaszczuk echoes Julia Gillard on carbon tax vow, Tim Nicholls edges out Laurence Springborg, still dry up north.

Annastacia Palaszczuk.

History repeated itself (sort of) on the Labor side of politics today. In response to a hammering from the LNP Opposition over suggestions her government is considering introducing a state-based carbon tax, Annastacia Palaszczuk uttered an all-too familiar line.

“Under the government I lead, it is very clear there is no state based carbon tax. Full stop,” the Queensland Premier told parliament.

Déjà vu?

Here’s Julia Gillard in 2010: “There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead.”

Palaszczuk’s line drew loud jeers from the Opposition, who are getting used to their new parliamentary chairs after last week’s leadership coup and shadow Cabinet reshuffle.

New Shadow Opposition leader Deb Frecklington had this to say on Twitter:

@AnnastaciaMP is softening Qlders up for a Carbon Tax, despite promising no new taxes before the election. #qldpol

— Deb Frecklington MP (@DebFrecklington) May 11, 2016

The background to these attacks is an issues paper released by the government yesterday from the independent Queensland Renewable Energy Expert Panel. Buried on page 19 of the 50+ page report, are “policy options” including a fossil fuel generation levy to be meted out by the state. Unsurprisingly, the Opposition has leapt all over this today, despite Energy Minister Mark Bailey’s sternly worded statement this morning.

“(The panel’s) Issues Paper is not government policy. The government’s commitment is there will be no new taxes, fees or charges, including a fossil fuel levy.”

Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt strayed from the national sphere to dip into state politics on the issue. “We’ve heard today that Queensland Labor wants to introduce its own carbon tax on Queensland households. This is in addition to Bill Shorten’s carbon tax! Bill Shorten and Annastacia Palaszczuk are teaming up to crush jobs and growth in Queensland.”

Nicholls edges out Springborg

If you can’t enough gossip from Tim Nicholls’ takeover of the LNP last week, here’s a last titbit.

Inside the closed-door emergency partyroom meeting, each of the leadership candidates had a scrutineer to count their votes.

Caloundra MP Mark McArdle (in parliament since 2004) was incumbent Lawrence Springborg’s. Burleigh MP Michael Hart (in parliament since 2012) was Tim Nicholls’s chief counter. And Tim Mander — ousted in the first round of voting with just 10 votes — relied on another Gold Coaster, Southport MP Rob Molhoek as his scrutineer.

In the first round, it was Mander 10, Nicholls 14 and Springborg 17. By the second round, most of Mander’s supporters threw their backing behind Nicholls, helping the former Treasurer edge out Springborg 22 to 19.

Still grim up north

Outside parliament, and back in the real world, Queensland is still in drought. Just slightly less so, if a rejigging of drought declarations confirms today is anything to go by. Basically, Queensland was at a record high of 86.11 per cent of the state drought-declared. Now, it’s 83.9 per cent, which is still terrible. The council areas of Cloncurry in northwest Queensland, and South Burnett and Cherbourg in the south east of the state, have had their declarations revoked. However, Mareeba and Tablelands council areas are now on the drought-declared list in their entirety.

It’s still grim out there, sadly.