Union boss Gary Bullock facilitates Queensland MP’s jump to the Left

United Workers Union boss Gary Bullock is behind the latest defection to Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad’s Left faction.

United Workers Union boss Gary Bullock. Picture: Peter Wallis

The faceless man of Queensland Labor, United Workers Union boss Gary Bullock, is behind the latest defection to Deputy Premier Jackie Trad’s Left faction, again exposing Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s lack of authority over her own ranks.

Mr Bullock — who once ­famously boasted of his union having seven MPs when Labor was elected in 2015 ­— moved the motion at the Left faction executive meeting on Tuesday night to recruit Ipswich West backbencher Jim Madden from Ms Palas­zczuk’s Right faction.

It was seconded by Electrical Trades Union assistant secretary Stuart Traill. The move highlights the power of the dominant Left faction — led by Treasurer Ms Trad and dominated by super-union leader Mr Bullock — with Mr Madden saying he had jumped to get more funding for his electorate.

Ms Palaszczuk was forced to insist her government had not been distracted from its corona­virus response by the factional wargames. “I haven’t been to a faction meeting for years … I don’t play factional games and, frankly, I don’t have time for factional games,” the Premier said.

“I think everybody should be focused on dealing with this crisis and it’s very disappointing that people are focusing on that, when my whole entire team should be focused on the coronavirus.”

Backbencher Mr Madden, a former lawyer, agronomist and local councillor, was elected to parliament in 2015 and has not risen above the position of parliamentary committee member.

It is understood there was some dissent within the Left at Mr Madden’s application to join, given his well-known social conservatism and his decision to vote for some opposition amendments to Labor’s abortion laws in 2018.

Labor sources said Mr Madden had recently sought to join the Old Guard faction — of which he had been a member years before — but was rejected.

Mr Madden declined to be interviewed, but said on Facebook his decision was not about Ms Palas­zczuk, whom he said he supported “100 per cent”.

“My decision is about getting my local campaign right, and making sure I can do everything I can for my electorate of Ipswich West to secure extra funding from state and federal governments, whether it be for our schools, main roads or community sporting facilities,” Mr Madden said.

Asked by The Australian whether he had switched factions to secure more funding for his electorate from the Treasurer, Mr Madden said “No”.

Ms Trad did not respond to questions before deadline.

A spokeswoman for Mr Bullock confirmed he had moved the motion for Mr Madden to join the faction.

“Our priority during this time is ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of Queensland workers. We expect all members of parliament, regardless of their political alignment, to listen to working people and act in their best interests,” a statement from Mr Bullock said.

Mr Bullock’s already significant power grew late last year, when the National Union of Workers and his former union, United Voice, merged to become the United Workers Union.

In Queensland’s Labor caucus, this meant some of the small Old Guard faction members of the NUW were now UWU members, along with many in the Left.

There are 18 Labor MPs who are members of Mr Bullock’s union. Ms Palaszczuk’s Right faction has 16 MPs, the Old Guard has eight, and Ms Trad’s Left has 23. Maryborough’s Bruce Saunders is factionally unaligned, after leaving the Left earlier this year.

Labor sources said Mr Madden had fallen out with the man who tapped him on the shoulder to run for politics, Right faction federal MP Shayne Neumann.

He is also understood to be interested in agricultural policy and wants to be promoted to chair of the agriculture committee.