Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek forbids rival MP from attending school event
Queensland's Education Minister faces backlash after blocking an Opposition MP from watching students perform at a school musical across the road from her electorate.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek has denied Labor frontbencher Di Farmer from attending a school musical, rejecting her request to visit the campus that sits only metres outside her electorate boundary.
Ms Farmer, an Education minister under the former Labor government, had requested permission to attend the Camp Hill State School’s “Seussical the Musical” on Sunday night, but was knocked back by Mr Langbroek’s office.
Based on Dr. Seuss books, the musical follows Horton the Elephant’s efforts to protect the invisible Whos.
It is customary for non-government members to gain permission to attend events outside of their electorate.
The Camp Hill State School sits in Customer Services Minister Steve Minnikin’s Chatsworth electorate across the road from Ms Farmer’s Bulimba electorate boundary.
In a Facebook post, which has racked up 300 comments and received more than 700 reactions, Ms Farmer said between one third and half of the students “actually live in my electorate”.
“And I told him (Mr Langbroek) that,” she wrote.
“I don’t know the Ministers reason for forbidding me to attend the musical. I don’t know what risk he thinks I am to the school or to him or to the LNP.”
Mr Langbroek hit back, accusing Ms Farmer of making the musical “all about herself”.
“A school musical should be about the children and it’s typical the Member for Bulimba is making this all about herself,” he said.
“This is the former Education Minister who left our schools under-resourced, understaffed, and unequipped to deal with bullying and behavioural issues, while education standards fell further behind other states.
“Instead of making a song and dance about the longstanding government rules, which the former Labor Government happily enforced during their decade of decline, she should focus on doing her current job and supporting the schools in her own electorate.”
Ms Farmer has been previously approved to attend other events at the school including a bush dance and trivia night while in Opposition.
Speaking to the Courier-Mail, she questioned why her attendance at a musical would be treated differently.
“You could think of reasons why you don’t want the Opposition in hospitals or something but this is a musical,” she said.
“It’s a Sunday night, what damage could I possibly do.”
It’s not the first time an MP has been restricted from visiting areas outside of their electorate.
Labor’s Health spokesman Mark Bailey has repeatedly been blocked from entering Queensland hospitals, including being refused entry to Bundaberg Hospital during a planned visit with local MP Tom Smith, and the Princess Alexandra Hospital’s spinal injuries unit.
The Opposition at the time claimed Labor had, when in government, allowed the LNP health briefings and access to health facilities.
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Originally published as Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek forbids rival MP from attending school event
