Qld Labor MP Les Walker accused of ‘wasting police resources’

A notorious North Queensland Labor MP has been slammed for “jumping at shadows” after requesting police investigate why an ambulance was sent to his house.

A North Queensland MP has been accused of “wasting police resources” in a crime-riddled city after he requested police investigate why an ambulance was sent to his house.

Mundingburra MP Les Walker made the complaint last month after paramedics attended his Wulguru house late at night, requesting police investigate whether it was a prank call.

Officers investigated the incident, but it was found paramedics went to Mr Walker’s house by mistake when sent to a job on the same street.

Opposition police spokesman Dale Last slammed his behaviour as a massive waste of police resources in a city dealing with the a youth-crime scourge, while Mr Walker says he requested the investigation because he wanted to ensure resources weren’t being wasted by “pranksters”.

Mundingburra MP Les Walker is punched at the Mad Cow Tavern, Townsville, in January 2021.

“While the people of Townsville are watching police resources stretched beyond breaking point, the Member for Mundingburra is jumping at shadows and wasting police resources,” Mr Last said.

Mr Walker did not personally respond to The Courier-Mail’s attempts to contact him via phone or text, but sent a statement via email saying: “I’d like to thank the police for doing this prompt investigation.

“I was concerned someone had been deliberately wasting QAS resources and wanted to ensure police were aware.

“Any decision on how police deal with a complaint is a matter for them.”

But police sources said the incident was made into a bigger issue than it should have been.

“From what I know, it was an honest mistake regarding dispatch on the ambos, and he turned it into a police matter,” a police source said.

Mundingburra MP Les Walker. Picture: Shae Beplate

On April 4, about 11pm, an ambulance attended Mr Walker’s house in Wulguru.

Mr Walker made a complaint about the incident, requesting police investigate whether it was a prank.

A spokeswoman from Queensland Police confirmed officers investigated the incident.

“Queensland Police were made aware of emergency services attending a private address in Wulguru on Tuesday, April 4,” the spokeswoman said.

“Officers investigated concerns being raised the tasking was nuisance in nature.

“An investigation was launched and no offence was found to be committed.”

Queensland Ambulance Service declined to comment on the incident, but The Courier-Mail understands the paramedics went to Mr Walker’s address by mistake after being tasked to a job on the same street with a similar street number.

A photo posted by Mundingburra MP Les Walker on his Facebook page.

Mr Walker has been in the spotlight multiple times during his tenure as an MP, most notably for being banned from the Townsville Safe Night Precinct after he was knocked unconscious at the infamous Mad Cow Tavern on Flinders St in January 2021.

Late last year, Mr Walker was criticised after gifting police a Forensics for Dummies book as a tribute at a Police Remembrance Day service honouring fallen officers.

Mr Walker said he did not remember the Mad Cow incident and was deeply sorry, and blamed his office staff for the book bungle.

Mr Last said Mr Walker owed both QAS and QPS an apology.

“Les Walker owes the people of Mundingburra an explanation for wasting precious police resources and he owes the Queensland Ambulance staff and the Queensland Police Service an apology,” Mr Last said.

“Both he and the Premier are fast running out of excuses as to why Mr Walker should remain in the Queensland parliament.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Mundingburra MP Les Walker. Picture: Evan Morgan

Troubled times of Les Walker

January 2021: Les Walker is knocked unconscious during an altercation in Townsville’s infamous Mad Cow Tavern while out celebrating his birthday. He was fined and banned from the Safe Night Precinct for a few months.

August 2021: Mr Walker is charged with common assault after shoving a man who chased him up the street from a Townsville pub. He was eventually acquitted of the charge, with a magistrate saying the case was a “storm in a teacup”.

October 2022: The Labor MP left a book titled Forensics for Dummies as a tribute at a Police Remembrance Day honouring fallen officers in Townsville. Mr Walker insisted he was unaware what the book was, as it had been selected and wrapped in advance by his staff.

April 2023: Mr Walker requests police investigate why an ambulance turns up at his house in the middle of the night, suggesting it was a prank call. Police conduct an investigation and find the paramedics went to the wrong house accidentally.