Artists Call Out QLD Premier After Tweet Celebrates 41,637 Fans At Suncorp Stadium

Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk has received backlash on Twitter from local artists after celebrating the Queensland Reds’ win last night at Suncorp Stadium.

“Queensland are the comeback kings!” she tweeted. “What a win [QLD Reds] in front of 41,637 fans at Suncorp Stadium.”

Artists were quick to criticise Palaszczuk, pointing out the differences in support for sporting events, when compared with the arts.

Ball Park Music quote tweeted the premier saying, “Yeah this is fucked, do more for the arts.”

“I wish you’d support the music industry like this,” tweeted Amy Shark. “We need help x”

Eves Karydas shared the premier’s tweet, adding, “You can boast about your footy numbers, but do you realise how heavily the music and arts industry feels let down [Annastacia Palaszczuk]?”

“Please allow music venues to increase their capacities,” she later replied to the tweet.

“It’s insulting seeing the number of people allowed to cram into sports stadiums while we are left with half capacities and no wriggle room. Music saves people’s lives. Give it the support it deserves.”

Aaaand, Max Quinn quipped, “Meanwhile Australian music out here like: An incredible sold-out gig in front of the legal maximum of 17 adoring fans safely social distanced at Qudos Bank Arena.”

The calls come after Brisbane’s The Triffid owners, John Collins and Brett Gibson started a petition to the premier.

They wrote, “While strict rules have been relaxed for Suncorp Stadium to host State of Origin with 50,000 people packed in, music venues are STILL only allowed to operate at a reduced capacity with heavy social distancing restrictions. Venues can’t even breakeven, let alone pay artists and other staff.”

The petition has 18,936 signatures at the time of writing.