LNP want Premier probed by ethics committee over Doherty Institute modelling ‘misuse’
The LNP had formally asked Speaker Curtis Pitt to refer the Premier to the Ethics Committee over her claims about possible Covid fatalities in a highly charged parliamentary performance earlier this month.
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A formal complaint has been lodged by the Queensland Opposition over allegations Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk deliberately misled parliament on Covid-19 pandemic modelling.
The Premier, in a highly charged parliamentary performance earlier this month, relied on extrapolated worst-case scenario Doherty Institute modelling to claim thousands would die if there wasn’t a “serious discussion” on the path out of Covid-19.
“Doherty Institute modelling predicts that even with 70 per cent of the population vaccinated, 80 people will die each day from COVID once the outbreak reaches six months after it started,” she said.
“That is 2,240 who will die each month.”
The assertions, which were also made on social media, have been debunked by the media and experts, including ABC’s Fact Check, as misleading.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt at the time blasted the Premier for “selectively misusing the Doherty modelling”.
He said the Doherty Institute made it clear that “with optimal public health measures and no lockdowns this can be significantly reduced to 2787 infections and 13 deaths (nationally)”.
Doherty Institute modelling shows if the country opened up at 70 per cent and the national plan was followed, the number of deaths in the first six months of an outbreak would be 12.
If there were no low level restrictions and test and trace measures were failing, in the worst case scenario deaths would be about 1456 in the first six months - lower than the Premier’s calculations.
On Friday afternoon Opposition Integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson confirmed the LNP had formally asked Speaker Curtis Pitt to refer the Premier to the Ethics Committee.
“There is sufficient evidence the Premier has misled Parliament,” she said.
“The Premier was extensively briefed on the Doherty Institute modelling. However, the reckless statement the Premier gave to Parliament does not reflect the modelling and has been staunchly refuted by experts.
“The Ethics Committee should consider whether the Premier is in contempt of Parliament.”
A spokesperson for Ms Palaszczuk said the Premier was using figures outlined in the Doherty report which is publicly available.
Ms Palaszczuk has been found guilty of contempt before.
In October 2019 the Ethics Committee ruled her in contempt of parliament over her threats to strip Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) MPs of staff after they refused to denounce former colleague Fraser Anning’s speech calling for a Muslim immigration ban.
She apologised at the time.
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