John-Paul Langbroek: Labor calls for Coast MP to be sacked over controversial cartoon, Bulletin readers leap to his defence

Readers have rushed to defend a Coast MP after Labor called for his head to roll over a cartoon shared on Twitter labelling COVID-19 a “mild flu” and the pandemic a “fear campaign”. HERE IS WHAT YOU SAID

A LONG-TIME Gold Coast LNP MP who shared a controversial political cartoon on Twitter has survived a State Government push to see him sacked – and readers have rushed to his defence.

The cartoon shared by Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek and signed by Steve Hunter takes aim at Queensland’s coronavirus response as a re-election stunt.

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It shows Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young attempting to ride a dead horse.

The image – which includes statements such as “COVID-19 fear campaign and “COVID is only a mild flu” – pictures Dr Young wearing a hat closely resembling those worn by Adolf Hitler’s Schutzstaffel (SS) during the Second World War.

The controversial cartoon.

An original version of the cartoon also included a white Nazi swastika on Dr Young’s arm.

However, the swastika was blacked out in the image shared by Mr Langbroek.

The former dentist showed the Bulletin text messages indicating the cartoon was sent to him by a friend in its edited format.

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The cartoon has also copped criticism from some for its graphic depictions of suicide, linked to business closures and the loss of civil liberties under Queensland’s COVID-19 restrictions.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington brushed the cartoon off as satire and many of hundreds of comments posted to this publication’s website agreed the image shared was not out of line.

One Bulletin reader said it was “heartening” to see most comments supported Mr Langbroek.

“At least there are some people out there that still have a sense of humour and realise this pandemic is going to go down as the biggest over-reaction in human history,” he wrote.

Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek: Picture: Scott Powick

Another fellow said: “More outrage from the permanently outraged green-left because they want to talk about anything other than jobs and the economy.”

Another commenter even suggested Mr Langbroek should be made LNP leader.

“Someone who’s not afraid to tell it like it is. GO BUDDY,” he wrote.

Some took issue with Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, who spoke out on behalf of Labor, while dismissing the cartoon’s Nazi links.

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“For goodness sake Mr Hinchcliffe it is a cartoon and you are drawing a very long bow with reference to a Nazi like hat and a small newspaper on the ground referencing the flu, to call for an MPs sacking for sharing the cartoon is ridiculous, are you getting worried about the election outcome,” one woman said.

Another man celebrated “something to laugh about during these difficult times”.

▼▼▼ READ ALL THE COMMENTS BELOW ▼▼▼

Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe.

“Thank you JPL for bringing some joy to the constituency,” he wrote.

Not everyone who weighed in was as receptive to the sharing of the cartoon.

“I know John as a hard working member and qualified health professional and I am saddened to see that he is trivialising COVID-19 just to score brownie points for the election. Shame John. I thought you were above that,” one man wrote.

Another lamented it was “the type of thing we have come to expect from an inept opposition with nothing of substance to offer”.

He appeared surprised the cartoon did not draw “the contempt it deserves in relation to the number of deaths from the pandemic”.

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Another man bluntly said: “Typical LNP. Out of touch with the majority of Queenslanders.”

No moves have been made by the LNP to sack Mr Langbroek, despite the Labor outcry.

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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk shadowed by Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: Annette Dew

HOW THE SAGA STARTED

A GOLD Coast MP has refused to delete a controversial cartoon he shared on social media, despite the image labelling coronavirus a “mild flu” and the pandemic a “fear campaign”.

The cartoon posted on Twitter criticises Queensland’s COVID-19 response as a re-election stunt and appears to depict Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young wearing a Nazi SS officer’s cap, prompting the Labor Government to demand Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek’s sacking.

It has since emerged an original version of the cartoon included a white swastika on Dr Young’s sleeve. It has been blacked out in the version posted by Mr Langbroek who said he had “no idea about the original” and “I definitely wouldn’t have done it (posted) had it been on the image I got”.

Mr Langbroek strongly defended Saturday’s post and insisted Racing and Multicultural Affairs Minister Stirling Hinchliffe’s reaction was “over the top”.

He said he was driven to post the “satirical” cartoon after being bombarded by complaints from people left in the lurch by tough border restrictions.

“It’s completely histrionic, over the top. Fabricating words about me sharing a cartoon. I mean, is this cancel culture at its worst?” he said.

“It’s a Labor Government who obviously don’t understand the Gold Coast at all. I’m just representing the views of my constituency and I make no apologies for standing up for my frustrated, upset, worried, harried constituents, who I was talking to in great numbers (Saturday) for hours.”

Sitting in my office in Surfers Paradise, talking 📱📞 to desperate locals. This is the overwhelming view from those who can’t visit their sick parents in hospital, can’t cross the border for work, have family members on antidepressants. ‘It’s the economy too, stupid’ #qldpol pic.twitter.com/qHGqPEvktg

— John-Paul Langbroek (@JPLangbroek) September 5, 2020

Mr Langbroek told the Bulletin he did not agree with some statements in Steve Hunter’s cartoon, including those downplaying the pandemic, but backed its general message.

He “looked at (the cartoon) very closely” before sharing it, but claimed he did not spot the “mild flu” or “fear campaign” references, or the cap which bears a striking

resemblance to those worn by Adolf Hitler’s Schutzstaffel (SS) during the Second World War.

“It’s a critique of the premier. It’s not questioning the chief health officer’s advice,” he said.

“It doesn’t talk about ‘flu’ or any of those things mentioned in (Labor’s press) release. It just shows me Labor are completely desperate.

“This is really an example of the left and the cancel culture. Sharing a cartoon, just ridiculous.

“I’m not apologising for it, I’m not removing it. I’ll answer to the people of Surfers Paradise on October 31.”

Mr Langbroek said he had spoken to a Main Beach woman who was unable to see her 91-year-old mother in hospital after she’d had a stroke and a man with a business over the border confronted by police when he tried to attend his shop, for example.

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Mr Hinchliffe said on Sunday: “Mr Langbroek had stooped to a new low when he used social media to share a cartoon comparing the COVID-19 pandemic to a ‘mild flu’. The same cartoon labelled the global pandemic a ‘fear campaign’.”

“John-Paul Langbroek is a medical professional,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

“It beggars belief he would undermine his own profession by endorsing ridiculous, unscientific, far-right conspiracy theories.

“The Leader of the Opposition either shares these views or she doesn’t. If she doesn’t, she should sack him. If she does share these views, we know why the LNP called for borders to be open 64 times.

“The threat from coronavirus is real – so far 875,000 people have died from COVID-19 around the world. This is no laughing matter.”

Mr Hinchliffe said the Palaszczuk Government would act on Dr Young’s advice.

“Science, knowledge, experience and common sense have all served us extremely well in Queensland since the pandemic broke out,” he said.

“Because we have had a strong, informed health response, we’ve already started delivering our plan for Queensland’s economic recovery,” the Minister said.

“The LNP would risk that by listening to far-right conspiracy theorists? By listening to misinformation and disinformation?

“More than that, they have endorsed the idea that a global pandemic is something to laugh at and belittle.”

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said the cartoon was “a bit of political satire”.

“It does, I suppose, highlight the community’s reflection on the economic and social failings under the Palaszczuk Government because of COVID,” she said.

“Look, it is a political satire cartoon and there are many times politicians don’t like cartoons about them, but they don’t call on the editor to be sacked.”