Qld Labor - Anna gives Greg a new job ...

Poor Greg.

He's unemployed.

He had to quit the Premier's Dept when Anna became Queen.

Anything less and it might have looked like a conflict of interest.

Also, whatever would they talk about at night?

What to do with Greg?

It's a single-income family now.

Anna's a bright girl.

Give him another senior job in the government.

What's sexy right now?

Climate change!

Make up a new department and get him to head it up.

What do you call it?

Hmm - an office for climate change.

We'll call it - the 'Office of Climate Change'.

Brilliant!

Problem solved - still a two-income family.

What's next?


Excerpt from the Courier Mail (annotated):

Bligh's husband gets top post

19 October 2007

The husband of Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, Greg Withers, has been appointed to head a new government office that she created.

When she became premier last month, Ms Bligh redesigned the environment portfolio, and nominated Andrew McNamara as Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation.

She said it was important to strengthen the government's capacity to lead Queensland's response to climate change.

[aka - Andrew, find a job for Greg.]

Mr McNamara said the new Office of Climate Change would be created within the state's Environmental Protection Agency.

"The office will lead the development of new climate change policy and programs, based on the best available science and information," he said.

Mr Withers, a senior Queensland public servant with more than 15 years' experience, quit his role in the Department of Premier and Cabinet when Ms Bligh became premier, to avoid any conflict of interest.

He has been on leave and looking for a new job since.

Mr Withers was the principal author of ClimateSmart 2050: Queensland's Climate Change Strategy 2007, a government paper released earlier this year.

Mr McNamara said Mr Withers was an ideal person for the role.

[He's smart, available and the boss's husband - what better qualifications are there?]

"He is widely regarded as a strategic thinker, and that's the sort of person we need in this new role," he said.

It is understood the new job is not a promotion for Mr Withers, with a government statement saying he would be "transferred at his current seniority level".

Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said the move was outrageous.

"This is just another example of jobs for mates," Mr Seeney said.

"It appears in this case the only reason he's got the job is he is the husband of the premier."

See - Anna gets another job for Greg - stays a two-income family.


The more things change, the more they stay the same ...