Queensland abortion laws: Speaker Curtis Pitt says petition ‘tainted’ by irregularities

QUESTIONS have been raised about a petition lodged with the Queensland Parliament opposing the government’s abortion law reforms after a number of petitioners signed it multiple times.

QUESTIONS have been raised about a petition lodged with the Queensland Parliament opposing the government’s abortion law reforms after a number of petitioners signed it multiple times.

Speaker Curtis Pitt said the software that scrutinised petitions had identified a “large number of irregularities” with the petition.

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“The Clerk advises that it appears that approximately 10 per cent of persons who joined the petition have duplicated their joining,” he said.

“It appears some petitioners have joined the petition up to eight times.”

Mr Pitt said some petitioners had not provided their addresses, while there were grounds to suspect some petitioners had not provided truthful details.

“The presentation of the petition may therefore be delayed until the Clerk and his officers can undertake further study and inquiry of this petition,” he said.