Sean Parnell comments in InQueensland (11.5.20) about the resignation of former Deputy Premier Jackie Trad from her ministerial roles, as a CCC investigation begins into alleged interference in the appointment of a high school principal in Trad’s electorate.
‘With Jackie Trad leaving the spotlight, it’s steady as she goes for Queensland Labor. The critics will be satisfied, the other actors will play their part, and the Opposition may be kept in the wings.
‘The show will go on, but it’s unclear how it will end. Of course, this Government has never been scripted, more a Choose Your Own Adventure style of dramatic improv. For years, some expected Trad, the progressive leader of the powerful Left faction, to challenge Palaszczuk for the leadership, or blamed her when the Premier struggled. Now, Trad has gone, in an apparently final show of loyalty, and those who remain may be seen in a different light. Perhaps a new villain will suddenly emerge, or the leader will lose her appeal – Queensland politics is that kind of drama.
‘As far as forced weekend reshuffles go, and the loss of a foundation member of the leadership team, this one has an extraordinary sense of order about it. That it comes in the midst of a pandemic and economic crisis, less than six months out from an election, may, counterintuitively, be a good thing. Unless, of course, Trad was playing a role that provided as much actual stability as perceived instability, a kind of reverse double agent. She will no doubt be watching on with interest to see if her legacy improves.’
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