Nick Dametto serves Aaron Harper with concerns notice over Facebook post

A North Queensland politician says he was forced to serve Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper with a concerns notice after he published a defamatory Facebook post.

A NORTH Queensland politician says he was forced to serve Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper with a concerns notice after he published a defamatory Facebook post.

Mr Harper, who has come under fire recently for his actions on Facebook, wrote a post last month suggesting Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto and Hill MP Shane Knuth were going to benefit financially from a potential camp for troubled youth.

Mr Harper has now published an apology on his Facebook page.

The Townsville Bulletin had uncovered plans to convert a multimillion-dollar resort into a dormitory for up to 38 at-risk youth, with a relative of the Hill politician – Kelvin Knuth – in negotiations to sell the property to Silver Linings, a foundation that aims at giving Indigenous youth a second chance.

Paul Dametto, who owns a property in Dungeness and is the Hinchinbrook MP’s uncle, was quoted in the story and raised concerns about the redevelopment.

While Mr Dametto and Mr Knuth shared a last name with those quoted in the story, the Hinchinbrook and Hill MPs were not involved in the development.

In fact, Mr Dametto spoke out against the move saying it could be disastrous for the Lucinda tourism industry.

Silver Linings has since abandoned its plans for the redevelopment of the resort.

Nick Dametto. Picture: Supplied

Mr Dametto told the Townsville Bulletin he tried to call Mr Harper about the post, to let him know it was wrong, but his call was not returned.

Mr Harper is understood to have been in a committee meeting and unable to answer.

The MP then called Mr Harper’s office, who did remove the post from the Facebook page.

However, when Mr Harper still failed to respond to Mr Dametto’s calls, he sent the concerns letter on Friday March 4.

Mr Dametto said all Mr Harper would have had to do was return his call.

“Then I wouldn’t have had to get a solicitor involved,” he said.

Mr Dametto said people, including politicians, needed to be careful about what they post on Facebook

“I do say it’s a bit of a wake-up call for him, you can’t just say things that aren’t true and are defamatory on Facebook,” Mr Dametto said.

“As a member of parliament, you’re seen as a bit of a centre of truth in the community.”

In his apology, Mr Harper said he was human and made mistakes sometimes.

“A week ago I posted what I thought was a light-hearted fun on the Bully (Bulletin) story about Lucinda potentially being used for Silver Linings to look after troubled youth,” Mr Harper said.

“I clearly misinterpreted the story where I linked the Dametto and Knuth names in the story to my neighbouring MP Nick Dametto and Shane Knuth.

“When we found out it was not related to either MP the post was pulled down after a few hours.”

Mr Harper said he wanted to “unreservedly apologise” to both the MPs, and that it was not his intention to see the post cause issues for either politicians.

The Bulletin did reach out to Mr Harper, but he said to use the response from his Facebook page.

‘Bull---t’: MP won’t apologise for swearing at voter

AARON Harper will call bull---t when he sees it – even if it means swearing at a constituent.

The Thuringowa MP has stuck to the comments he made on Facebook in which he said “bull---t” in response to a comment made on a post about youth crime in Townsville.

The politician, who is known for speaking his mind, called out the LNP for its contribution to crime issues in Townsville after the death of a teen in the Ross River.

Robert Malayta died after fleeing from a stolen car, which had been stopped when police deployed stingers, and jumping into the Ross River. The teen’s body was found two days later.

“The recent death is a sad reality of crime issues that have plagued our City for decades,” Mr Harper wrote.

“On that very point I have to say that LNP MPs Dale Last, David Crissafulli (and that other pretending State MP Phillip Thompson) get a hard dose of reality of how they managed crime under their watch.

“This was all happening under the LNP 10, years ago. Over 2000 cars stolen in 2012-2013.”

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper. Picture: Evan Morgan

Mr Harper shared media reports from when the LNP was in power, saying it’s boot camps failed, sacked police and hid crime statistics.

A voter commented on Mr Harper’s post saying the Labor government’s “softly softly” approach to crime had led to the problem.

The voter called on Mr Harper to stop looking for people to blame, saying crime was still getting worse.

“BULL---T. YOU HAVE NO IDEA,” Mr Harper wrote in response.

“Not sure where you come from but I have lived here for 40 years … and I have seen the very best of people and the very worst over three decades in both Health and Ambulance in our community.”

When asked if Mr Harper thought this was an appropriate way to speak to a constituent, he said he was passionate about the community and discussed ways it could be improved.

“I will tell it like it is, and what was said in the post was untrue,” Mr Harper said.

“As a government we have introduced the toughest laws in Australia targeting youth offenders.

“All levels of government can play a role in helping reduce crime which is the point I was trying to make.”

However, Mr Harper had a different tone when he posted about the Bulletin’s questions on Facebook, suggesting it was political correctness gone mad.

“PC gone too far? I think so,” he wrote.

“Fair enough, some can take things too far, but let’s not lose our Aussie identity along the way.”

Harper’s comments are contradictory to a widely thought idea that he regularly blocks people from his Facebook page when they disagree with him or start arguments.

A post on Aaron Harper's Facebook page.

Mr Harper said he had lifelong mates who said his most endearing quality was that he had not changed who he was since entering politics, and would not start after seven years as a regional MP.

“So if I call or say bull---t, as I have done on TV (on occasion) or in public debates come election, it’s coming from many years of experience, my gut feel and my call it as you see it attitude.”

He then suggested the “click bait media” watch an episode of Seinfeld if it was low on content.

The questions to Mr Harper came after another Labor politician was forced to apologise for swearing on his official Facebook page.

Rob Skelton wrote “to all the idiot trolls out there … stay off social media”.

He then said: “great to take advantage of the situation but … f--k off for a minute.”

Mr Skelton did not answer questions about what the statement was about, but apologised for using “colourful language”.

Originally published as Nick Dametto serves Aaron Harper with concerns notice over Facebook post