Les Walker’s political future under scrutiny after ‘dummies’ spit

The Opposition Police Minister has blasted the state government after a controversial MP left a “contemptuous” tribute to fallen police officers.

Opposition Police Minister and Burdekin MP Dale Last has blasted the state government after Mundingburra MP Les Walker left a ‘Forensic for Dummies’ textbook at a tribute to fallen police officers.

Mr Last, who served as a police officer for 25 years before moving into politics, said Mr Walker’s actions were “appalling” and “contemptuous” of the police force.

The controversial Townsville MP apologised after a ‘Forensics for Dummies’ textbook was left as part of a tribute to fallen police officers on September 29.

Premier Annastacia Palasczcuk said she had spoken to Walker when the news was first reported on Wednesday, and backed him to continue in his role.

A photo posted by Les Walker (Member for Mundingburra) on his Facebook page.

But Mr Last has called on the premier to take further action, urging her to reconsider Walker’s role in parliament ahead of next week’s session.

“Les needs to sit back and reflect on his actions. There are very high standards when it comes to the Queensland Parliament …” Mr Last said.

“The premier has come out and said she’s spoken to Les Walker. I think it needs to go one step further than that. We need know what action the premier is going to take in respect to this issue.

“With parliament opening next week, there’s an opportunity for the premier to stand up and tell the constituents of Mundingburra what she intends to do regarding his actions.”

Mundingburra MP Les Walker. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Mr Last said that Walker’s two previous high-profile incidents, in which he was banned from Townsville’s nightclub precinct following a fight in the Mad Cow and then later acquitted of common assault following an altercation meant further action needed to be taken.

“His continuance in the Queensland parliament must surely now come into question off the back of the previous two incidents,” Mr Last said.

“When someone does this, they need to be held to account and certainly the Premier needs to show some leadership here and deal with this issue.”

Burkekin MP Dale Last. Picture: Evan Morgan

Mr Walker said the tribute was arranged by staff and had not been intentional, but Mr Last said there were “inconsistencies” in the explanation.

“For the member for Mundingburra to throw his staff under the bus and apportion the blame to them is pretty ordinary,” Mr Last said.

“The sticker or the information inside the front cover of the book actually specifically nominates Police Remembrance Day, so certainly it wasn’t just taken off a random pile of books in his office. It was hand-picked to be laid on Remembrance Day because the sticker says that.

“At the end of the day, the buck stops with the local member.”

A spokesman for Mundingburra MP Les Walker said the matter was settled.

“Unlike Dale Last, the member for Mundingburra is getting on with the job of representing his electorate.

“He apologised to police more than three weeks ago and will continue to work hard for his community.”

Originally published as Les Walker’s political future under scrutiny after ‘dummies’ spit