Qld election 2024: Labor candidate’s past anti-police, ‘racial profiling’ posts

A shadow cabinet member has savaged Labor’s Burleigh candidate over “f--- tha police” social media comments and questioned her insistence that her views have since changed.

A shadow cabinet member has slammed “f--- tha police” social media comments by Labor’s Burleigh candidate as “disgusting” and claims a leopard can’t change its spots.

Labor’s Burleigh contender Claire Carlin wrote online in 2011 “f*** tha police!” and in 2010 wrote “on the count of three say … f*** the police 1. 2. 3.”

She also tweeted in May, 2010, about CCTV as a crime fighting tool, saying: “You can’t use cameras to anticipate crime. That’s called racial profiling.”

Ms Carlin has since apologised for her comments and said they “in no way reflect” her current views. Top police also turned the other cheek on Tuesday, with Gold Coast-based Superintendent Peter Miles saying if “we all rewind 14 years we’d probably have said things we don’t mean, that we probably would have changed our ideologies on”.

However speaking on the Gold Coast on Wednesday Shadow Sports Minister Tim Mander rejected Ms Carlin’s apology.

“I find those comments disgusting. It’s hard to believe that a leopard can change its spots over that period of time on comments that were so emphatic and so derogatory,” he said.

“Here we have a youth crime crisis and we need to make sure that we are doing everything possible to support our police.

“And those comments show that she simply doesn’t support the police. It doesn’t matter what she says now, those comments were disgraceful and I think incredibly unnecessary.”

LNP Burleigh candidate Hermann Vorster had said the comments showed “we need a fresh start”.

Ms Carlin was confronted by a 9 News reporter about her since-deleted anti-police statements on Monday.

“I’m actually just about to go somewhere and I’m not able to talk, sorry,” she first responded.

Asked if she would support the police if elected, she said: “Of course I support the Queensland police.”

The candidate's historical posts on X. Picture: 9 News Queensland

When asked again to comment on the posts, she told the reporter: “I’m not aware of what you’re talking about, at the moment I’m just about to go and see my mum if that’s OK.”

She later issued a written statement.

“I apologise for these tweets – they are up to 14 years old and in no way reflect my current views,” Ms Carlin said.

“I have close friends who are serving police officers and the work they and their colleagues do everyday to keep us safe is so important.

“In the many years since then, I have worked hard in my community including helping to deliver major events side-by-side with our local police.”

Retired Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Jim Keogh, who led the fight against bikies and alcohol-fuelled violence across the city, said the comments were “unacceptable” by any member of the community.

“Especially from members running for public office, albeit the comments appear to be made some time ago,” Mr Keogh said.

“The police do a fantastic job at Burleigh, in what has become a really challenging policing environment.”

During his service, the veteran police officer held a number of roles, including as head of Burleigh Heads Criminal Investigations Branch.

Labor candidate for Burleigh Claire Carlin is interviewed over the posts. Picture: 9 News Queensland

He spearheaded a series of high-profile raids which became known as the “Burleigh Busts” – a community-based crackdown on drug dealers and supply in the suburb.

“To be successful they (local police) need the support of the community,” Mr Keogh said.

“More importantly they need the support of public officials in the area.”

But Gold Coast police Superintendent Peter Miles said he understood Ms Carlin had more recently had a better relationship with police on the Gold Coast.

“It was 14 years ago. I think if we all rewind 14 years we’d probably have said things that we don’t mean, that we probably would have changed our ideologies on,” he said.

“I think Jesus was the only person who walked this earth that was perfect and he died 2000 years ago.

“As far as I’m concerned I’m willing to work with anyone that’s willing to work with us and most recently what’s come out of her mouth is how she’s worked with police, is working with the southern patrol group police, has got a good relationship with them, so if that’s the current status of her mindset I’m happy with that.”

Labor Minister Meaghan Scanlon defended Ms Carlin and insisted Labor strongly supported the police force and its members.

“Claire has apologised for those tweets which were published I understand 14 years ago and said they do not reflect her current views,” she said.

“I say as the daughter of a former Gold Coast police officer I of course back our frontline police and that is what we have been doing – deliver more funds to get more boots on the ground, providing a very significant (enterprise bargaining agreement) which is one of the best in the country to support our cops.”

The candidate's post on CCTV in 2010.

Burleigh is currently held by retiring LNP MP Michael Hart with a 1.2 per cent margin.

Ms Carlin, a key player in the Coast’s premier arts festival BLEACH, has previously promoted herself as “not a career politician”.

Prior to the scandal she had been strongly regarded by Labor insiders.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, who grew up on the Gold Coast, defended the party’s Burleigh candidate in a 4BC radio interview on Tuesday morning.

“This is one of the reasons why people are so reluctant to run for politics – things you’ve ever said, views you’ve held decades ago, come back to bite you,’’ she said.

“This is something she said 14 years ago. She has, quite properly, apologised.

“She has said she has a very different view now. It’s not her view any more.

“Can we all just move on and talk about the things we need to deliver in a seat like Burleigh?

“The LNP have really taken that seat for granted. They’ve been there for a very long time.

“I think she’s (Ms Carlin) a great community champion.’’

Ms Carlin said the state Labor government “has and continues to boost police personnel and resources, something I’m proud to support”.

The expansion of Gold Coast City Council’s CCTV network into the Burleigh electorate forms part of a key election commitment by the LNP and its candidate Hermann Vorster as part of a $4.1 million-dollar community safety plan.

It follows mounting calls for urgent action in the wake of an alleged unlawful strike in the party hotspot late last month which claimed the life of 22-year-old man Cameron Duce.

A lack of CCTV in Burleigh Head was blamed by police for delays in apprehending those allegedly responsible for Mr Duce’s death.

As part of the election commitment, $600,000 has been set aside to establish a permanent police presence in the suburb.

$2 million dollars will also go towards overturning cuts to police positions on the southern Gold Coast. As revealed by the Gold Coast Bulletin’s Thin Blue Line series, six approved officer roles were secretly cut, leaving the crime-ridden community with its lowest resources in 13 years.

Ms Carlin’s comments were slammed by LNP Burleigh candidate Hermann Vorster.

“Labor has never been serious about tackling the crime crisis, and this comment shows why we need a fresh start,” he said.

“Only the LNP has a plan to expand Council’s safety camera network throughout Burleigh and restore safety where you live.

“We will boost Burleigh’s thin blue line with more police on the beat to deter anti-social behaviour and crime.”

Originally published as Qld election 2024: Labor candidate’s past anti-police, ‘racial profiling’ posts