Race for parliamentary positions in wake of Queensland Cabinet reshuffle

December 10, 2015 12:00am
Jason TinThe Courier-Mail


Bulimba MP Di Farmer: missed out..

JOCKEYING for plum parliamentary positions is set to begin in the wake of the Cabinet reshuffle, with snubbed MP Di Farmer potentially in line for a $20,000 pay rise.

The appointments of Labor Unity faction member Grace Grace and Left faction member Mick de Brenni to the new-look ministry have left their previous parliamentary roles up for grabs.

Ms Grace served as Deputy Speaker and Mr de Brenni sat as Chief Government Whip.

Both roles come with pay packets that are more than $80,000 fatter than the base MP salary of almost $150,000.

Party insiders anticipate the positions will remain with the Left and Labor Unity, with each nabbing one of the spots.

Labor Unity is hoping Ms Farmer will fill one of the vacancies, given she missed out on a ministry spot.

Unity was only able to snare one additional Cabinet position in Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s reshuffle, with Ms Grace taking on the Employment, Industrial Relations, Racing and Multicultural Affairs portfolios.

Ms Farmer, a Unity member, missed out on both a ministry and an assistant ministry position.
The Member for Bulimba is currently chair of the Finance and Administration Committee, which earns her an extra $57,000 on top of her base salary.

An appointment to either Mr de Brenni or Ms Grace’s former positions would add more than $20,000 to Ms Farmer’s pay packet.


Grace Grace is the new Employment and Industrial Relations Minister.

Fellow Labor Unity MP Julieanne Gilbert currently serves as Deputy Government Whip.

Among the names touted within the Left as possible Chief Government Whip replacements are Nikki Boyd and Chris Whiting.