LGAQ urges Qld state government to protect councillor speech after Maranoa’s Cameron O’Neil threatened with litigation

A major lobby group has called for protections similar to parliamentary privilege to be introduced for Queensland’s Local Government councillors after a southwest officiall was threatened with legal action for discussing an issue in a vote.

Maranoa Regional Council's Cameron O'Neil; LGAQ's Alison Smith.

The chief lobby body representing local governments has called on the state to introduce protected speech for councillors, after a western Queensland elected official was threatened with litigation.

Local Government Association of Queensland CEO Alison Smith renewed her calls to develop protections similar to parliamentary privilege for state and federal MPs.

LGAQ CEO Alison Smith

It comes just days after Roma-based councillor Cameron O’Neil was the subject of a legal threat by Rex Airlines for comments he made during a meeting about a proposed deal between the company and the Maranoa Regional Council.

Mr O’Neil, who opposed the deal, made statements about the proposal’s merits as part of the open debate section.

But in an open letter to the councillor on Christmas Eve, Rex Airlines executive chairman Lim Kim Hai to Mr O’Neil demanded an apology for Mr O’Neil’s “unfounded and malicious” comments.

Ms Smith said the LGAQ had been pushing for protected speech laws since 2019, when it introduced a resolution at its conference.

“Mayors and councillors have a democratic right to discuss and represent their communities in the decision-making process of local government,” she said.

“They should never fear being sanctioned for asking questions and speaking out on issues of importance to their local community.

“State and Federal MPs have a privilege attached to their comments in the parliamentary chamber, in order to ensure they can speak freely on behalf of their electorates.

“In 2019 our members resolved to call on the state government to extend legal protections for personal liability to councillors for the purposes of debate within the council chamber.

“We would urge the State Government to consider this change to put beyond doubt the ability of councillors to represent their constituents.”

Parliamentary privilege protects MPs from legal action against them for speeches they make while in session.