Last Week in Queensland – 3 July 2017

The value of the Great Barrier Reef, a boxing match, and Gordon Nuttall’s superannuation dominated news* last week in Queensland.

 

Governing

• Premier defends Attorney General over youth detention review www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/premier-annastacia-palaszczuk-defends-attorneygenerals-handling-of-youth-detention-review/news-story/104b635e4d035185e5e0a13c1989f7c7
• Reaction against new scanner laws www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-01/queensland-nightclub-identification-laws-explained/8667818
• Taskforce checking building products www.9news.com.au/health/2017/07/01/03/32/qld-investigates-sub-par-building-supplies
• Blueprint takes shape for whole-of-government federated identity system www.itnews.com.au/news/queensland-has-built-a-federated-identity-blueprint-466465
  

  Premier Palaszczuk

   

• New Integrity Commissioner announced www.9news.com.au/national/2017/06/29/17/24/queensland-appoints-integrity-commissioner
• Queensland announces world’s longest electric vehicle highway http://reneweconomy.com.au/worlds-longest-electric-vehicle-super-highway-revs-up-92841/
• Disgraced former Minister to repay 25% of pension funds http://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/36195650/nuttall-ordered-to-pay-govt-about-400k/
• “Problem trains” service commencement date unknown www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/rollout-of-qrs-problem-trains-delayed-to-before-the-games-20170628-gx0ij0.html
• Ongoing demands to reduce public servant numbers www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/cuts-needed-to-save-budget-as-queensland-public-service-employee-expenses-blow-out/news-story/5253b0c99796c02877964febae06e424

 

Opposition and Crossbench

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls

• Liberal-National Party reserves it’s Far North Queensland funding promises www.cairnspost.com.au/business/tim-nicholls-refuses-preelection-funding-pledges-for-far-north/news-story/3430a8983029e12711e9a872fd96bcdc
  • … but promises to fix South-East Queensland rail problems www.qt.com.au/news/nicholls-promises-to-fix-the-rail-chaos/3195665/
• Opposition Leader touring the north www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/opposition-leader-tim-nicholls-touches-down-in-cairns/news-story/0d3720d466da05660092e3b58250155f
• One Nation Party will fund school chaplaincy www.news-mail.com.au/news/one-nation-vows-fund-school-chaplaincy-programs/3194368/

 

Politics

• Liberal-National Party canvasses voter views on preference deal with One Nation Party www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/lnp-canvass-one-nation-preference-deal-in-phone-poll/news-story/b7cc56b1230095741346a0b033c54108
  • … as Tim Nicholls declines to rule out working with One Nation www.9news.com.au/national/2017/06/26/11/20/one-nation-could-decide-next-qld-election
• … and the One Nation Party vote holds up in latest polling www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/newspoll-queensland-one-nation-vote-unaffected-by-paulines-perils/news-story/d0bd33e18f05a986ff78266a529dddec
• Not sure why it is news again, but the election due by May next year hasn’t been called yet www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/no-election-date-for-queensland-yet/news-story/5e3b75be23c94f5948afe5a50d9b0351

 

Community

• State Government charges up from 1 July www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-01/queenslanders-brace-higher-costs-and-fees-from-july-1/8668882
• Ongoing attacks on parole decisions www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-parole-new-fulltime-board-aims-to-address-prison-overcrowding/news-story/a3ba9d8e189e1c051d7228196d4baab7
  • … and the chief Magistrate is unconcerned about Bail Act changes www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/judge-is-ok-with-tougher-bail-law/news-story/b7c1b6768020787ae1e5c0cfcc72fc82
• Census 2016: where Queensland is changing www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/census-2016-queensland-population-booms-in-buderim-surfers-paradise-and-caloundra/news-story/d1f8700d38bf0fb3da9412c9863518a
  • … where Queensland is earning www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/single-atheist-and-making-money-how-brisbane-compares-20170627-gwzc3h.html
  • … and changes in Queensland’s population trends http://queenslandeconomywatch.com/2017/06/29/population-growth-queenslands-recent-slump-guest-post-from-alistair-robson/

 

Economy and Infrastructure

• New economic analysis of the viability of the Adani mine www.tai.org.au/node/3727
• Direct Guangzhou – Darwin flights from December www.ntnews.com.au/news/national/china-southern-airlines-flies-guangzhou-to-cairns-from-dec/news-story/f56694469d64b4bd74a0d8f6fdcb0d7e
• Financial fallout from Pacquiao-Horn fight www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/battle-of-brisbane-turns-into-a-goldmine-for-pacquiao-and-horn/news-story/a0254d6853895fac9dddc53847d5bd0a
• QSuper loses public servant superannuation monopoly www.couriermail.com.au/business/super-funds-eye-public-servant-nest-eggs-as-qsuper-loses-monopoly/news-story/3b1aac84966265e3d2fa9bc866c79e2a
• Water Security Taskforce to recommend Townsville pipeline duplication www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/new-pipeline-to-fix-townsvilles-water-crisis/news-story/fa5f51fff3daadee25e0aad523060ed3
• Great Barrier Reef benefits and value tallied www.governmentnews.com.au/2017/06/coal-coral-queensland-government-undecided/
  • … and compared with Adani mine www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/the-reef-vs-adanis-mine-in-numbers/news-story/9775e29f51c0b02262a3a41875ecee17
• Queensland Investment Corporation might invest in Galilee coal www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-27/queensland-government-finance-body-in-talks-fund-galilee-coal/8655786
• Government requests delay in Acland closure decision www.triplem.com.au/news/darling-downs/request-for-delay-in-the-decision-of-stage-3-of-the-acland-mine-expansion
• Queensland’s Labor market improving http://queenslandeconomywatch.com/2017/06/30/vacancies-data-support-improving-employment-outlook-in-lead-up-to-qld-election/

 

Parliament

Queensland Parliament, early 20th century

• Queensland’s Parliament next convenes from Tuesday 18 July to Friday 21 July, for Estimates Committee hearings about the budget
• Federal Parliament has commenced their long winter break, and next sits from Tuesday 8 August to Thursday 10 August
• The notice paper for the next sittings of the Queensland Parliament can be downloaded here www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/sitting-dates/latest-sitting-dates
• The Queensland Parliament’s summary of what’s new, including newly-introduced and passed legislation, is here www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/whats-new
• The forward agenda for the Federal Parliament can be found here www.dpmc.gov.au/resource-centre

 

Sleeper Issues?

• By-election for Ipswich Mayor: date set www.qt.com.au/news/electoral-commission-announces-election-date-ipswi/3195550/
• Queensland water systems vulnerable to cyber attack www.cio.com.au/article/621233/queensland-water-systems-wide-open-cyberattacks-audit
• Man behind local government corruption allegations bashed www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jun/26/queensland-anti-corruption-campaigner-jim-dodrill-attacked-in-bushland
  

  Jo-Ann Miller, MP for Bundamba

   

• Complaint to Crime and Corruption Commission about Member of Parliament for Bundamba www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/joann-miller-ccc-rejects-mayors-report-over-call/news-story/17b32c4faa7c689a65f4a191d6f17592

 

 

 

 

 

 

* We’re not representing that this is a complete coverage of news in Queensland – it certainly isn’t, and it’s what we find interesting or important, and sometimes what’s unusual.  Some of the links will require subscriptions to read content.

 

 

Last Week in Queensland – 3 April 2017

Death, destruction & recovery from Cyclone Debbie has dominated the news* last week in Queensland and still does, with ongoing evacuations, flooding and damage, whilst some communities begin their recovery.

 

Governing

• Cyclone Debbie drives Government activity www.9news.com.au/national/2017/04/01/03/32/premier-to-head-back-to-debbie-hit-north
• Daylight saving petition rejected by Government www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government-rejects-petition-calling-for-referendum-on-daylight-saving/news-story/f69a24406ea271ead9f4912ec76ad7cc
• Crime and Corruption Commission scope expanding www.themandarin.com.au/77303-queenslands-corruption-reform-welcome-but-theres-more-to-be-done/
  

  Premier Palaszczuk

• Premier to press for more family-friendly sittings hours www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mps-lose-sleep-over-long-days-as-premier-seeks-more-familyfriendly-hours/news-story/1acc50367762dd35af98fe14564e6c38

 

Opposition and Crossbench

• Four sitting Liberal-National Party Members of Parliament facing selection challenges www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/sitting-queensland-lnp-members-face-preselection-challenges/news-story/660fa1978eb591e9b6deaf5a3b6533b4

 

Politics

• Courier Mail criticises infrastructure spending www.couriermail.com.au/business/measly-expenditure-on-vital-projects-in-queensland-is-putting-a-handbrake-on-growth/news-story/a93e14e4d07de085b3f44e32e4d3588b
• Courier Mail alleges corrupt resource allocation www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/opinion-labor-must-explain-how-school-improvement-funds-were-allocated/news-story/da95bba9bcb8d2bbec20dcde1681e93e
  

  Rick Williams, MP for Pumicestone

• You think the Courier Mail is the Queensland leader in mean-spirited, partisan, headlines? www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/premier-interrupts-ses-workers-barricading-rocky-a/3161905/
• Courier Mail questions re-endorsement of Rick Williams MP www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/editorial-regrets-rick-williams-should-have-a-few/news-story/9d5b27a1f3a5a500452894a07eecff27

 

Community

• Days after Cyclone Debbie, rivers continue to rise & communities evacuate www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/four-people-die-as-rivers-peak-at-historic-levels-in-aftermath-of-cyclone-debbie/news-story/f1987c153a0f037c758d88c81fa95be5
  • … ongoing impacts: long-term rebuild, flooding continues www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/debbie-is-not-done-with-us-yet-premier-20170401-gvbmq4.html
  • … victims denied incorrectly assistance www.qt.com.au/news/mp-claims-cyclone-debbie-victims-falsely-denied-di/3162107/
  • … flooding expected to peak in Rocky on Wednesday www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-01/cyclone-debbie-rockhampton-faces-huge-flooding/8406838
• Are biofuels increasing petrol prices? http://biofuels-news.com/display_news/12088/Biofuels_accused_of_raising_petrol_prices_in_Queensland__Australia/
• Some children not getting welfare visits www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/children-in-foster-care-detention-centres-and-mental-health-facilities-missing-welfare-checks/news-story/c4199744f484832fc4c9c2c189d5eda1
• LGBTI legal service receives first-time funding www.starobserver.com.au/news/national-news/queensland-news/queensland-welcome-legal-funding/156938
• Brisbane River’s raw sewage spill www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/raw-sewage-spill-in-brisbane-river-could-warrant-fine-queensland-government-20170326-gv6x1q.html

 

Economy and Infrastructure

• Queensland economy should prove resilient, post Cyclone Debbie http://queenslandeconomywatch.com/2017/03/31/qld-economy-should-be-resilient-to-cyclone-debbie/
• Adani reaffirms works will commence between June and September www.theguardian.com/business/2017/mar/31/adani-chief-executive-says-queensland-project-will-go-ahead-this-year
• How much is a horse race worth? www.thechronicle.com.au/news/backing-right-race-brings-800000-boost-toowoomba/3160517/
  

  Minister Leeanne Enoch with MP Peter Russo

• Start-up hub opens in Fortitude Valley www.technologydecisions.com.au/content/it-management/news/queensland-opens-new-start-up-precinct-886859211#axzz4d5C0DIwk
• Productivity Commission calls for sugar industry deregulation www.skynews.com.au/news/national/qld/2017/03/28/calls-for-sugar-deregulation.html
  • … while Federal Government says they won’t intervene in QSL/Wilmar dispute www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/hanson-to-go-on-strike-over-sugar/news-story/f4b85148a7ecfb79a564bc0c1f5fa0a5

 

Parliament

Federal Parliament House

• Queensland’s Parliament next sits again from Tuesday 9 May to Thursday 11 May
• The notice paper for the next sittings of the Queensland Parliament can be downloaded here www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/sitting-dates/latest-sitting-dates
• The Queensland Parliament’s summary of what’s new, including newly-introduced and passed legislation, is here www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/whats-new
• Federal Parliament sat last week, and next sits from Monday 9 May to Thursday 11 May – the Federal Budget will be delivered on 9 May
• The forward agenda for the Federal Parliament can be found here www.dpmc.gov.au/resource-centre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* We’re not representing that this is a complete coverage of news in Queensland – it certainly isn’t, and it’s what we find interesting or important, and sometimes what’s unusual.  Some of the links will require subscriptions to read content.