Question Time live: Premier Steven Miles hits back in crime record grilling

Opposition leader David Crisafulli has attacked Premier Steven Miles over controversial plans to axe “detention as a last resort”. FOLLOW QUESTION TIME LIVE

Premier Steven Miles faces a grilling over the government’s record on crime in a delayed question time in Parliament House today. Picture: Dan Peled

• Advocates react: 'Irresponsible smokescreen'

Premier Steven Miles faces a grilling over the government’s record on crime in a delayed question time in parliament.

The state government earlier introduced a Bill to “clarify” detention as a last resort, meaning the LNP can’t ask about it.

FOLLOW QUESTION TIME LIVE BELOW

Updates

1:20 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

DNA bungle thrust back into spotlight

Member for Whitsundays Amanda Camm asked the premier whether his government regarded the thousands of Queenslanders affected by the DNA lab bungle as "numbers part of an equation".
The question comes after it was revealed that just 1 per cent of some 40,000 identified botched DNA cases had been retested over a 12-month period.
Mick de Brenni at the time refused to reveal how long it would take the embattled lab to retest all cases identified in the bungle, stating he would not “not getting into the hypothetical mathematical equations”.
Asked whether the DNA victims were numbers, Mr Miles gave another short answer; "No we do not believe that".

With little question time left to spare, LNP's Deb Frecklington asked Mr Miles how many victims of the now retested 193 cases had been contacted or informed of the positive DNA result.
Miles dodged the question, reiterating old testing figures, but just as Ms Frecklington raised a point of order, question time ended.

-Taylah Fellows

1:02 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

Fire ants at Oakey came from contaminated turf Premier confirms

Madura McCormack

A major fire ant infestation at an army base west of Brisbane was likely caused by the delivery of contaminated turf Premier Steven Miles has said.
The deadly and destructive pest was detected at the Oakey Army Aviation base (Swartz Barracks) on April 16, with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries confirming last week 78 nests had been found.
The number of nests has since escalated to 110 according to the Invasive Species Council.
The latest detection is within the Condamine-Balonne river system and feeds into the Murray-Darling basin, with the Invasive Species Council warning this is a significant escalation in the infestation and would be calamitous if the ants travelled downstream.
Premier Steven Miles, under questioning by LNP MP for Condamine Pat Weir, confirmed the infestation out at Oakey.
Mr Miles said it was his understanding the ants got there through contaminated turf delivered by a turf farm.
He said 137 hectares had been surveyed and 195 hectares treated as a precautionary measure.
“(Mr Weir) implied a lack of communication with residents and if that's the case, I'll ask the Minister to ensure that additional communication is provided to make sure that those locals can rest easy knowing that the fire and eradication team is doing everything that they can to eradicate those fire ants,” Mr Miles said.

12:49 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

Minister hits back at 'not quite factual' Greens claim

Hayden Johnson

Greens' South Brisbane MP Amy MacMahon noted the Queensland Teachers Union were planning to protest over teacher shortages and unmanageable workloads, but axed it due to warnings of "retaliatory action".

She asked Education Minister Di Farmer why the government wasn't supporting teachers.

"As always with the question from the Greens… it's never quite factual," Ms Farmer said.

She said the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission made the determination and promoted the government's effort to secure 1600 teachers since the election.

12:49 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

"How many will lose their jobs?": Robbie Katter fires up on renewable plans

Stephanie Bennett

Over to the crossbench, and Katter's Australian Party candidate Robbie Katter has one for Energy Minister Mick de Brenni following the passing of renewable energy targets during the last sitting week.

He asks: "will the Minister come clean with the Queensland people and tell the house how many hardworking Queenslanders will lose their existing jobs as a result of the targets?"

Mr de Brenni starts with some praise for Mr Katter – as the government tends to do lately – saying "if there's one thing you can expect from (Mr Katter) it's some honesty, at least you know where the KAP stand".

Rather than immediately tackle the question, the Minister spins it to have a sledge at the LNP, before saying economic security during the transition to renewables was contained within the government's plan.

12:40 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

Premier responds to CFMEU viral video

In light of circulating video footage showing CFMEU members physically preventing non-union member workers from accessing the Cross River Rail construction site, LNP MP Tim Mander asked the Premier if he will stop or prohibit ministers from meeting with the CFMEU.
Mr Miles provided a short response, saying he did not condone the actions seen in the video.
"I condemn any violence, intimidation or bullying in a workplace whether that's union condoned or not," he said.

-Taylah Fellows

12:34 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

End of CFMEU meeting ban queried after Miles diaries published

Madura McCormack

Premier Steven Miles has defended his decision to meet with CFMEU officials this year after his predecessor’s self-imposed ban on meeting with the militant union after a protest went awry in August 2022.
Opposition integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson queried Mr Miles meeting with CFMEU Queensland boss Michael Ravbar in March this year.
Mr Miles said he meets with “a lot of people and organisations”.
“I don’t always agree with everything they say or do but I am always happy to meet with them,” he said.

12:31 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

Premier asked what he's done to end CFMEU worker 'assault'

Hayden Johnson

LNP transport spokesman Steve Minnikin noted reports, published in The Courier-Mail, of workers being physically assaulted by CFMEU while attempting to access Cross River Rail sites.

He asked Mr Miles what he's done to ensure workers wanting to do their job "can do so without being assaulted by the CFMEU?"

Mr Miles said if Mr Minnikin was aware of illegal behavior he should "report that".

"Bullying and violence and intimidation should never be tolerated in any workplace, whether it is union related or not," the premier said.

12:28 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

LNP tries and fails to ask question on detention as a last resort

Opposition Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie tried to sneak through a forbidden question about detention as a last resort which was quickly shut down by the speaker.
He asked the premier to "admit" his government "changed the words, not the law" regarding the clarification of detention as a last resort.
Mr Bleijie attempted to get his question across the line by arguing a unique ruling had been made in February that allowed questions to be asked about a Bill before parliament.
He was again cut off by the speaker who said that particular ruling was "related to the fact that it was a Private Member's Bill which can take up to nine months to come through".
The question was dismissed. 

-Taylah Fellows

12:28 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

Police numbers "will be met": Premier's promise

Stephanie Bennett

LNP police spokesman Dan Purdie is up now – and targets the government's record on police numbers.

For context, the government has just committed to another 900 police personnel (with 500 sworn-officers), despite the LNP arguing they haven't yet reached their previous police numbers promise.

"The most recent government workforce data shows there are 1500 fewer police now than the Labour government promised at the last election," he said.

"If it can't deliver police numbers promised at the election, how can Queenslanders believe him when he promises the third term Labour government could deliver another 900?"

The Premier says it is an "important question", and admits it has been a difficult period for recruiting police.

But he claims it was now back on track. "I am assured by the Police Minister and the Police Commissioner these new, additional funded positions will be met," he says.

Mr Miles then turns the attack on the LNP, saying despite the challenges there are "more police" under Labor than there would have been under the LNP – prompting a furious outburst from the Opposition.

"We went to the election promising more police … and now we're committed to even more on top – that's the difference between Labour and the LNP."

12:22 pm May 1, 2024 Highlight

'Do and say anything to stay in power': Crisafulli takes aim at Miles amid govt acquiescence

Madura McCormack

Premier Steven Miles has asserted his focus was on “Queenslanders” after Opposition Leader David Crisafulli asked if the Premier would “admit he will do and say anything to stay in power”.
It comes after the state government buckled to pressure to change the Youth Justice Act and references to detention as a last resort.
Mr Miles said this change was for “Queenslanders”.
The new clause will read “A child should be detained in custody, where necessary, including to ensure community safety, where other non-custodial measures of prevention and intervention would not be sufficient, and for no longer than necessary to meet the purpose of detention”.
The existing clause in the Youth Justice Act states “A child should be detained in custody for an offence, whether on arrest, remand or sentence, only as a last resort and for the least time that is justified in the circumstances”.
The re-wording of the clause is designed to make it clear when a young person should be detained in custody.
But Mr Miles, in a press conference just prior to question time, could not say what tangible impact the changes would have on the number of alleged young offenders kept behind bars.