Laming won’t face charges over woman stocking fridge photo controversy

A rogue Queensland MP won’t face charges after taking a photo of a woman in an incident she described as ‘inappropriate’.

Embattled MP Andrew Laming will not face charges for taking a photo of a woman without her consent.

The Queensland MP will undergo empathy training and will not contest the next election after revelations he harassed a series of women online.

In one incident, Mr Laming was accused of taking a photo of a woman with her underwear exposed in a Brisbane shop.

The woman described the incident as “inappropriate” and complained to Queensland Police.

But police confirmed on Thursday they would not file charges.

“Investigators, having considered the interviews and all other information considered as part of the investigation, have determined there is no evidence to indicate a criminal offence,” they said in a statement.

Mr Laming thanked police for their “prompt assessment” of the case.

“I will have more to say on the remaining matters when this period of support is completed,” he said in a statement.

The Bowman MP Andrew Laming out on the hustings on polling day in 2019. Picture: Paula Shearer.

Labor frontbencher Mark Butler said while a decision on criminal charges was “a matter for police”, Mr Laming remained unfit for office and should resign.

“Andrew Laming has been declared by Scott Morrison as unfit for parliament beyond the next election. We’re saying he’s not fit to be in the parliament now,” Mr Butler told the ABC.

“The fact that police have taken a decision not to initiate prosecutions does not change that fact one iota.”

Mr Laming had previously defended the photo, saying he did not intend to cause offence and the facts were “on his side”.

He said he had sought permission to use photographs on “thousands” of occasions but conceded it “backfired that day”.

“I tried to capture a humorous image of someone completing what seemed like an impossible task and without it looking staged,” he said in a statement.

“The photo was taken from a distance, showing the worker in a dignified position on both knees but with far more stock to fit than the fridge would hold.”

He said he immediately apologised but had previously described the reaction of witnesses, who forced him to delete the picture, as “awkward”.