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Premier Steven Miles is pulling out the big guns this week in an effort to turn the tide of public opinion against his government – as Labor fights to secure a fourth term at the October election.
The Queensland Premier has completely rebranded the Labor Party following the resignation of his successor Annastacia Palaszczuk, with major initiatives aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures.
But will it be enough to fend off the Opposition leader David Crisafulli and his sixteen different sound bites about every single political issue on every TV and radio news update on every single station.
The answer is, probably no.
After being humiliated by Palaszczuk’s landslide victory that defied all media coverage of her government in 2020, the Queensland news networks will not let it happen again.
With Miles struggling to make the news for any of his government’s major infrastructural achievements, let alone the cost-of-living support, it seems that only way the Premier can achieve any media coverage is by giving comment on the misconduct of the CFMEU – which he ends up being blamed for entirely.
But recent changes in the Premier’s office may have shattered the narratives presented by the media class.
As of Monday, Steven Miles is now being flanked at every press conference and public outing with former Queensland rugby league great Wally Lewis.
Nicknamed ‘King Wally’ or ‘The Emperor Of Lang Park’ the former Brisbane Broncos and Maroons superstar holds a place in the hearts of Queenslanders that transcends politics.
It is not yet certain whether or not Lewis is playing the role of the Premier’s personal assistant or bodyguard, or whether or not he is simply ‘part of the entourage’ in the same way American rappers walk out to the ring with boxers.
Regardless, it appears that his role is one that is strictly apolitical, and is merely an effort to force the Courier Mail, Channel 7 and Nine journalists to show some balance in their coverage of the upcoming election.
Speaking to The Betoota Advocate today, Wally Lewis says he’s not trying to sway political opinion, but he’s semi-retired nowadays and “can think of worse ways to spend the day than rotating between high-end CBD lunches and intense weights programmes at the Parliament House gym”
Steven Miles says as a 25-year member of the Brisbane Broncos, the chance to hang out with Wally Lewis every day is a dream come true.
“Plus it means that I’m getting a bit more media coverage. These journos can’t resist whipping out the camera and microphone every time they see the King, which provides me with a good opportunity to reminds voters that will pay only be paying 50 cent fares on all public transport from Monday, making costs cheaper than they were more than thirty years ago.”
