Broken pledge not impressive

SOMEBODY should tell Annastacia Palaszczuk it is thoroughly poor form to start breaking election promises before you have even formed government.

The Premier got off to a rocky start yesterday, announcing she would nominate Mulgrave MP Curtis Pitt as Speaker because ”that is the role that he chose to undertake”.

Mr Pitt naturally wanted to continue as Treasurer and had every right to believe he would since his boss had publicly stated: “Yes, I do guarantee his job.”

Now his head is on a factional pike with Labor Left leader Jackie Trad moving into his job on the path to one day becoming Premier.

The announcement of Barron River MP Craig Crawford as a member of the Labor frontbench is a boon for the Far North, in that we would otherwise be left completely unrepresented in Cabinet.

He will now get the chance to prove himself in a position of authority – perhaps as a junior minister in the emergency services portfolio, or elsewhere.

We will find out what the future holds after a Labor caucus meeting today.

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is an important position, and a good Speaker can be instrumental in ensuring the parliament runs smoothly and effectively.

But it is a parliamentary, not legislative, role and the Far North’s representation in Brisbane has been diminished through the Premier’s first big broken promise since the election.

All of our four Far North Labor MPs must keep the pressure on the politicians down south to ensure we get the fair go we deserve. Chris Calcino chris.calcino@news.com.au