David Crisafulli responds to Steven Miles on heated ‘close your legs’ stoush

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has slammed the Premier on his decision to weigh in on the heated ‘close your legs’ stoush.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said Premier Steven Miles has “poured fuel on the fight” and slammed his decision to weigh in on heated ‘close your legs’ stoush.

The Premier on Friday strongly defended the actions of Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, who earlier this week posted a video snippet of parliament to her social media accounts wrongly depicting LNP frontbencher Ros Bates yelling “close your legs” across the chamber during a fiery debate over Queensland’s maternity services.

Tensions between the LNP’s Ros Bates and Labor’s Shannon Fentiman have exploded this week. Photo: Glenn Campbell

Hansard records showed Ms Bates had in fact said “cross your legs,” which she claims referred to mothers being told to attempt to pause labour until they can reach an open maternity ward.

Premier Steven Miles has since brandished Ms Bates as “one of the nastiest people in Queensland parliament,” as she demands $5000 from Ms Fentiman.

Mr Miles previously told the Opposition leader to pull Ms Bates “into line.”

“Ultimately that’s what Ros Bates was trying to do with that interjection and the person who should pull her into line as her leader, refuses to do so,” Mr Miles said.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles has launched a savage attack on the LNP’s Ros Bates. Photo: Tertius Pickard

On Saturday Mr Crisafulli said the comments made by the Premier were “not fitting of the office” and Mr Miles has chosen to “pour fuel on the fight.”

“To have the leader of the state pour fuel on the fire with those comments Friday, that does no one any good, and we’ve all got a duty to make sure we call out things when they are wrong and attacks on members of parliament are wrong.,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“Regardless of what side of politics that person who is being attacked is on, if its vitriolic and hatred fuelled, we have a duty to call that out categorically.”

Mr Crisafulli said the video posted was “done out of context.”

“We all have a responsibility in public life, and we cant have things done out of context. And the fact that the video was pulled down shows that it was out of context, and I don’t want to pour fuel on the fire,” he said.

It’s understood a legal representative for Ms Bates has sought an apology and $5000 in “legal costs” from Ms Fentiman.

Mr Crisafulli could not confirm if Ms Bates was to continue legal action amid the video post being removed on Friday.

Leader of the LNP David Crisafulli slams Premier Steven Miles for weighing in on the ‘close your legs’ stoush. Photo: David Clark

“I’m not sure,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the comment made by Ms Bates was made to “undermine and distract” the Minister when speaking in parliament.

“I understand Ms Fentiman has removed that video temporarily yesterday while the matter is reviewed, I wanted to be clear and I want to say no instances of bullying, threats or violence are acceptable whether online, or in the parliament or in our community,” Ms Scanlon said.

“What started this was a comment made by the member of Mudgeeraba that was designed to basically undermined and distract the Minister when she was on her feet.”

Earlier this week, in a statement, Ms Fentiman said the speaker of the house, Curtis Pitt, wrote to her asking her to consider removing the video while the matter was reviewed.

The MPs have now been put on notice and told to review their social media, with Mr Pitt signalling further action would be taken if they were no longer deterred by the current “informal way of dealing” with the issue.