PATTING THE PREMIER ON THE BACK FOR TOP JOB

CREDIT where credit is due. Just over two years ago Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was heavily and widely criticised – with this newspaper part of the pile on – when she visited the Gold Coast in the grips of pandemic suffering and instead of visiting small business operators, went to the Southport Yacht Club for a photo opportunity with famed director Baz Luhrmann. Her judgment was severely lacking. But, to her credit, today’s GC Weekend magazine cover story reveals she lit the fuse in Mr Luhrmann’s mind which burned all the way to the Gold Coast and sealed his decision to film and post-produce his much-awaited Elvis biopic here.

The man who brought Romeo and Juliet to the big screen starring Leondardo Dicaprio tells the magazine: “The obvious place to shoot (Elvis) was North Carolina because there’s good studios there, but it was just impossible because of the epic nature of the film, it’s just too big.

“So then we were thinking of going to Sydney to shoot it, but then Disney bought Fox so that was knocked out, and then I got an invitation to meet with Annastacia (Palaszczuk) who I did not know.

“So I met with Annastacia and her team in London, and I thought this is a real go-getter of a person, because she was just so enthusiastic, as was her team, just out there selling Queensland to the world.”

For Mr Luhrmann’s full recall of how the Premier and then subsequently the Gold Coast and some of its charms won him over, do read the illuminating full story and interview in GC Weekend.

Premier Palaszczuk copped plenty of criticism particularly from this newspaper – and much of it justified – over laboured handling of the pandemic and untold damage done due to what many saw as overly onerous restrictions that were quick to be instituted but too slow to be removed.

But on this occasion, her instrumental role in putting the state and this city on the Luhrmann radar for Elvis – which has resulted in 900 jobs and a $130m economic boost – must be recognised and applauded.

And those returns don’t include the untold publicity and promotion from someone as influential in the movie industry space as Baz Luhrmann singing the praises of the Gold Coast.

He has been frequently open in recent months and including in today’s edition about how much he now loves the city and why it was not only the best place to film Elvis but also to be based for the post-production.

The benefits of luring Luhrmann, Tom Hanks, Austin Butler and more will continue and build for all.