‘I won’t be shut up’: Capalaba MP Don Brown hit with four defamation claims

A Labor MP has used the state government’s debate about overhauling defamation laws to claim he has been targeted by members of the LNP at the local, state and federal levels.

Redlands politicians: clockwise from top left: LNP Federal MP for Bowman Andrew Laming; ALP MP for Capalaba Don Brown; Redland mayor Karen Williams, a possible LNP candidate for the seat of Bowman; Redland councillor Rowanne McKenzie and LNP candidate for Capalaba Bev Walters.

A Labor MP has used the state government’s debate about overhauling defamation laws this week to claim he has been targeted by members of the LNP at the local, state and federal levels.

Capalaba MP Don Brown told state parliament he would not be “shut up” after being served with four concerns notices from four members of the LNP claiming he had defamed them over the past year.

I supporting the defamation legislation this week, Mr Brown said Redland mayor Karen Williams, Capalaba LNP candidate Bev Walters, Redland councillor Rowanne McKenzie and federal MP Andrew Laming had all served him concerns notices.

He told parliament he would not be pressured by members of the Opposition “hiding behind defamation lawyers”.

“When we call-out their bad behaviour and call-out their public policies they hide behind lawyers and send me concerns notices,” he told parliament.

“Guess what? It has not shut me up yet and it will not.”

He told parliament Cr Williams took offence at him raising the spending of “millions of dollars of state government grants” on the property next to hers to upgrade walking trails, horseriding trails and bike trails which he said would result in a material benefit to the mayor’s property and business.

He said he received a concerns notice from Ms Walters, who owned a travel agency, after she took offence and questioned his stance on border closures during Covid.

Mr Brown said the third concerns notice he received came from Redland Cr McKenzie.

“Councillor Rowanne McKenzie used a fake Facebook profile and email to destroy the career of the then deputy mayor’s wife,” he told parliament.

“She was caught out by police. She refuses to answer media questions. When the story was released, all I did was share the story on my Facebook page along with two constituents whom she sent concerns notices to.”

He said Mr Laming’s lawyers sent him a concerns notice this week in relation to the definition of “upskirting”.

“I do not know how I am going to respond to that. I am taking my time and getting advice from my lawyers,” he told parliament.

Cllrs Williams and McKenzie were contacted for a response.

Mr Laming said: “Like most of Redlands, we don’t listen to Mr Brown.”

Ms Walters said she had hired lawyers and would pursue her case through the Supreme Court.