Qld, NSW premiers 'just don't like each other'

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian failed to renew a cross-border agreement when it expired last year – a sign of a further deterioration of the relationship between the two leaders.

The agreement was established in 2011 by former premiers Anna Bligh and Barry O'Farrell to resolve cross-border issues including regional economic development and delivery of services for people on either side of the border.

The coronavirus and the closure of Queensland's borders has caused economic havoc for businesses either side of the border – some of whose employees live in one state, but work in the other.

Ms Palaszczuk and Ms Berejiklian have been involved in a battle of words in recent weeks over the opening of Queensland's borders, but political insiders revealed the frosty relationship has been brewing for years.

"They just don't like each other," a former Queensland political insider told The Australian Financial Review.

Ms Berejiklian has slammed Ms Palaszczuk over the border closures, saying it was "ridiculous" and costing jobs.

"I don't think it's logical to maintain the border closures for a prolonged period of time," the NSW Premier said last week.

But the Queensland Premier was quick to fire back. "We are not going to be lectured to by a state that has the highest number of cases in Australia," she said.

"We don't want to put Queenslanders at risk at this stage. We said very clearly we will be reviewing this every month."

Cross-border issues

The cross-border collaboration agreement was supposed to help resolve cross-border issues that impede regional economic development and service delivery.

The last statement of principles and priorities for the 2016-2019 agreement was signed by Ms Palaszczuk and Ms Berejiklian just after she took office following the resignation of Mike Baird in January 2017.

The agreement clearly states it is supposed to be reviewed and formally updated every three years.

"The Queensland and NSW governments are determined to work to the best of their abilities to address cross-border issues where they believe it is practicable and desirable to do so," the agreement said.

NSW even created the position of Cross-Border Commissioner in 2012 to deal with cross-border issues. James McTavish has held the position since 2014.

Drawing a line

The cross-border agreement between Queensland and NSW acknowledges it was not legally enforceable, but relied "on the spirit of co-operation between the two jurisdictions".

"This agreement is not intended to remove power from either government to make policy decisions," the statement said.

The ever cautious Queensland Premier has backtracked on her government's original July 10 deadline, raising the prospect the state's borders may be closed until September.

Ms Palaszczuk said based on health advice, Queensland's borders would remain closed until there are no active local COVID-19 cases in NSW or Victoria – something which deputy federal Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said was near impossible in the short term.

Ms Berejiklian wants the state borders opened to help with the economic recovery from coronavirus.

National cabinet tensions

A cooler relationship between the two premiers has been evident at Council of Australian Government meetings in recent years, well before Prime Minister Scott Morrison created the national cabinet earlier this year to deal with COVID-19.

At COAG meetings, tradition dictates that after the Prime Minister speaks, state and territory ministers speak in terms of seniority, as in who has been in office longer.

At a meeting after former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull addressed the room, Ms Berejiklian – who became NSW Premier only in 2017 – moved to speak.

Ms Palaszczuk – who was elected Queensland Premier in 2015, making her the second-most senior state leader after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews – piped up to tell her, "That's not how it works here", according to a political insider at the meeting.

A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk said the Queensland Premier had a "good relationship with all her interstate colleagues" and a new cross-border agreement with NSW was being finalised.

"Queensland government agencies continue to work closely with New South Wales counterparts to carry out their duties effectively. This is not hindered by the expiration of the previous agreement," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said all states apart from NSW and Victoria have border restrictions.

A spokesman for the NSW Premier would not comment on the cross-border agreement.