George Street Beat: Qld’s new Housing Minister Sam O’Connor jacks up rent on savvy investment property

Unseated Labor MPs’ happy snaps have forced an intervention from Opposition Leader Steven Miles. THIS IS GEORGE STREET BEAT

Former MPs on holiday together after election

Politicians have scuttled back to their electorates exhausted at the end of a bruising 12 months year that saw one election, three premiers and still no main Olympic stadium.

This is the final edition of GSB this year before we’re back for a fresh start in February.

GREENER PASTURES

If ever there was proof of life after politics...

Defeated Labor MPs Kim Richards, Cynthia Lui and Brittany Lauga were spotted wandering through rice fields, snorkelling and flying through Indonesia earlier this month.

Ms Lauga, who lost the central Queensland seat of Keppel, revealed she booked the trip the day before to “surprise my beautiful friends”.

He didn’t name names, but we wonder if these three were in Opposition Leader Steven Miles’s mind when he told parliament: “To those who keep posting on social media about your so-called fun employment, stop rubbing it in. You are going to have to start applying for jobs soon.”

Former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was also out enjoying post-politics life with prawns and wine on North Stradbroke Island.

PROPERTY INVESTORS

Queensland’s new Housing Minister Sam O’Connor slapped a huge rent rise on his savvy property investment at Biggera Waters.

Records show Mr O’Connor purchased the two bedroom, two-bathroom Biggera Waters unit for $365,000 in 2015 as a 23-year old.

In August he jacked up the asking rent almost 50 per cent to $650 per week.

Landlord and Member for Bonney Sam O’Connor has raised the rent on an investment property.

However, GSB was told it was because Mr O’Connor held the rent at $450 per week for three years and raised it only when a long-term tenant moved out.

The rental increase preceded a good few months for the bank balance of the Gold Coast MP, who received a $125,309 salary increase when the LNP won the election and he became a minister.

He’s one of 17 ministers earning $378,910 each year for their dutiful service.

Governor Jeannette Young granted Mark Bailey the right to retain his ‘Honourable’ title via a request through the premier.

THEIR HONOURABLE

The political fall from the top levels of 1 William St might have stung Labor, but some retain a little pomp of high office.

A former Labor minister and a federal Senator hold the title “Honourable” in front of their names.

Mark Bailey

Former Transport Minister Mark Bailey appears to have been granted the title by Governor Jeannette Young after requesting it through the Premier.

LNP backbencher Amanda Stoker also keeps the title for her service as a Senator in the federal parliament.

She gets the title from her time as an Assistant Minister in the Morrison government.

Former Deputy Premier Cameron Dick secured the title years ago for his time in the Bligh government.

Ministers, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Justices of the Supreme Court of Queensland are entitled to use the title Honourable while in office.

But they’re not automatically entitled to use it when they leave or get booted from the office.

Dr Young has a delegation of authority from King Charles III to grant the right of retention of the title “Honourable” for life.

Under the rules The Honourable Mr Dick and The Honourable Mr Bailey had to “apply for it but only after their departure from office”.

DEMOCRACY FIRE DRILL

Queensland’s fresh-faced MPs were jolted out of bed this week and sent running to the chamber in an unplanned democracy fire drill.

It was 4am on a balmy Tuesday, hours before parliament was officially due to start sitting for the week.

In a sleepy haze at least four new MPs — Bree James, David Lee, Ariana Doolan, and Glen Kelly — were sent running from the Parliamentary Annexe and into the chamber as the division bells unexpectedly blared through the building.

The bells tolled for about two minutes.

New Queensland MP Ariana Doolan

The highly-motivated MPs proved they knew how to hustle in a surprise vote, and do it fully dressed.

Although in this case it was a false alarm. There wasn’t anything to vote on.

A cleaner had accidentally bumped the button while going about their late-night work.

Spare a thought also for Resources Minister Dale Last, who confirmed to this column he also raced out of his room in a fright.

His reaction was partly a trauma response to being caught in a terrifying incident in 2018 when his parliamentary digs filled with toxic black smoke billowing from the air conditioner, triggering the actual fire alarm.

CHRISTMAS COUP

Christmas came early for the LNP with Labor fighting itself about the party’s position on the government’s crime laws.

After a marathon Thursday one Labor MP, Jonty Bush, was considering resigning and seven

others rallying against supporting the laws.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

It was too much excitement for court jester and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, who held a press conference to – among brief mentions of other matters – dance on Labor’s trouble.

“It is Friday the 13th and something spooky is going on in the Labor Party,” he said.

“I don’t think Steven Miles will survive a Christmas coup when you have this much uncertainty in your team.”

He then compared the opposition to Camp Crystal Lake, a fictional location in the Friday the 13th franchise.

“There is no way he’ll survive as the opposition leader with so much chaos and dysfunction,” he said.

BOLTING BART

Opposition transport spokesman Bart Mellish was spotted hustling from Labor’s caucus meeting early, in a dash to rival Queensland sprint sensation Gout Gout.

“I’m on emergency daycare pick-up duties,” Mr Mellish said as he made his exit.

Doubtful he caught a 50c bus or train out to the northern suburbs if he needed to get out there quick smart.

LNP BOOST

The election of LNP to the halls of power has given a boost to the conservatives in the state’s lobbying sector.

The latest blue blood to enter the fray is former Brisbane councillor James Mackay.

Mr Mackay, a veteran of LNP campaigns, has joined TG Public Affairs as its Queensland director.

TG represents major corporates including Amazon, Lendlease, Optus and Redbank military-vehicle builder Rheinmetall.

CIRCUS STINGERS

Queensland parliament can be a rowdy affair, but the jabs and jokes exchanged across the chamber in the final sitting week went to another level.

Here are four of the best.

“The Premier is a weak and frightened man who does not want to hear the voice of anyone who contradicts him” – Cameron Dick

“I am just easing my way through the veggie patch, getting past the different types of lettuce until I get to the cos lettuce at the end, which is the former treasurer of the state” – Jarrod Bleijie on Mr Dick

“Members should see the Facebook page of the member for Oodgeroo — boy, is she in trouble” – Di Farmer on Amanda Stoker.

Finally, this skirmish after Labor’s Nikki Boyd took umbrage at David Crisafulli’s assessment of her job performance.

Ms Boyd: “I find the comments from the Premier personally offensive —”

Deb Frecklington: “We found you offensive”.

Originally published as George Street Beat: Qld’s new Housing Minister Sam O’Connor jacks up rent on savvy investment property