Des Houghton: Parliament is coming perilously close to limiting free speech
The Queensland Parliament is coming perilously close to limiting free speech - and it could come with far-reaching ramifications. JOIN THE CONVERSATION
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I suspect the Queensland Parliament is coming perilously close to limiting free speech.
There were fresh warnings this week about what members could and could not speak about in the Legislative Assembly, despite the parliamentary privilege rule. It follows the rancid Palaszczuk government’s attempts to stop the media reporting its failures.
It doesn’t stop there.
The manager of Opposition business Andrew Powell, the Member for Glass House, complained this week that major legislative changes were introduced without notice.
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Police Minister Mark Ryan tabled 57 pages of amendments for a Bill that was just 48 pages.
“These amendments have far-reaching impacts across a wide range of issues,” Powell said.
“This is a disgraceful abuse of Parliamentary process.” Agreed.
Greens MP Michael Berkman said it showed Labor’s “blatant disregard for democracy and human rights”.
“It is an absolute dog act for the government to introduce amendments like this with no prior warning,” he said. Agreed.
Also this week, Katter’s Australia Party described Parliamentary Estimates hearings as undemocratic with Labor committee chairs wasting time and interfering to protect ministers from being questioned.
Katter’s Australian Party leader Robbie Katter, Member for Traeger, said Labor used the hearings for Dorothy Dixers, political grandstanding and scrutiny-dodging. Queensland’s unicameral parliamentary system meant Estimates hearings were vital for scrutiny, he said.
“Too many Ministers are now reading responses, and this provides insight on multiple levels and in particular indicates that questions from Government MPs are a premeditated set-up,” Katter said.
We saw the same lack of scrutiny and a lack of detail in the billion- dollar cost blowout scandal over the Maryborough trains.
Labor has engaged an army of journalists whose role is to inform the public about what is going on. They don’t. These “communications” teams occasionally provide some useful background information. But if a politically embarrassing controversy arrives, they turn into misinformation units. They hide bad news and create diversions to blindside the media – and therefore the public’s right to know. Poor fools us.
The government persistently refuses to say how many propagandists are on the public payroll or what they do. The use of spin doctors to manufacture misleading or fake news is an attack on free expression.
And I fear the government’s attack on free speech has moved to a sinister new phase. Labor MPs have found a way to punish rivals who dare to call them out on the floor of Parliament. Several recent cases raise alarm. Queensland Greens and LNP Members of Parliament were referred to the Ethics Committee for what I believe are rather trivial matters. Am I overreacting? I don’t think so.
Once a matter is referred to the Ethics Committee there is a news blackout. The Ethics Committee is like a star chamber because its discussions are not reported. It holds confidential hearings. Members of Parliament are prohibited from discussing anything that happens at these hearings, so it would seem to me to be a good tactic to refer opponents there. The news blackout can run for months. Say goodbye to any media scrutiny.
James Lister, the outspoken Member for Southern Downs, has been hauled before the Ethics Committee twice recently.
He found himself in trouble after a powerful speech he made in the House last year attacking Labor’s union links and also questioning the impartiality of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, whose chair, Justice Peter Davis, was outed in the House as a Labor activist.
Parliament heard Davis handed out how-to-vote cards for a Labor candidate and as president of the Queensland Bar Association was embroiled in a series of bitter disputes with the then premier Campbell Newman. Davis and other lawyers campaigned against the Newman government. In September 2017 Davis was appointed to the Supreme Court and promoted to chair of the QIRC in 2020.
Lister was accused of breaching standing orders and in contempt of the House when he accused Labor of strengthening industrial laws to favour its union mates. “This whole system is about payback,” Lister told Parliament.
“We have this love triangle where on the one side is the parliamentary Labor Party and the Labor system, on the other side are the big unions who fund them and then the Industrial Relations Commission as well.
“This system is locked up tight for the good and the benefit of organised labour and the people who run it.”
He added: “I have spoken about this beautifully symmetrical love triangle with big ALP, including the parliamentary wing, big unions and the Industrial Relations Commission which work together in a way that can hardly be seen as truly independent.’’
Hauled before the Ethics Committee, Lister later apologised to the House. However, there is some justice. A second charge against Lister for allegedly failing to declare a gift in the form of legal advice was dismissed. Lister pointed out that the fees were covered as part of membership of the Independent Workers’ Union of Australia for which he paid $542. The Ethics Committee told Parliament it recommended no finding of contempt be made against Lister and said no further action would be taken.
Now John-Paul Langbroek faces censure. The Member for Surfers Paradise dared asked Indigenous minister Leeanne Enoch whether she had had meetings with staff at which non-Indigenous staff were asked to leave. Enoch replied: “Yes. For the member’s cultural awareness training today, can I make it clear that that is part of a cultural practice that happens. Many members of my department could be relatives of mine.” What was she saying? We don’t discriminate, we just exclude certain people, perhaps.
Langbroek’s questions caused uproar in the House, with Enoch saying she found them “incredibly offensive” and “bordering on racism”.
Labor’s Corrine McMillan, chair of the Parliamentary Community Support and Services Committee, suggested Enoch could write to the Speaker. “I do want to make note that you, as the minister, may wish to refer that matter to the Ethics Committee,”
she said.
The Greens Michael Berkman and Amy MacMahon were referred to the Ethics Committee by the Speaker Curtis Pitt for potentially breaching parliament’s rules. Berkman was pinged – believe or not – for a social media post he published in support of Extinction Rebellion protesters who invaded Parliament last December.
In the post he said the anti-coal protesters were “absolutely right”.
“We need to stop coal and gas. And we need to keep saying it until the major parties start listening,” he wrote. As misguided as he is on energy policy, Berkman’s right to free speech has been trampled.
The Courier-Mail reported that the rules of Parliament say it is contemptuous for MPs to make “public statements either orally or in writing, inciting or encouraging disruption of the Legislative Assembly by bringing the proper proceedings of the assembly or its committees into disrepute”.
MacMahon was referred for not sticking to proper process for introducing Bills. Yawn.
The government not only attempts to conceal bad news, but it also punishes those who speak out.
Former Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov said her laptop seized from her office had the contents “deleted without my knowledge or consent”.
Former State Archivist Mike Summerell alleged serious interference. He claimed the State Government ordered him to falsify reports. Former Legal Services Commissioner Bob Brittan said he was “bewildered” that ethical issues he raised were ignored.
Whistleblowing DNA expert Kirsty Wright came under attack when she pointed out failures at Queensland’s forensic testing laboratory.
Secrets remain. Despite a costly judicial review and pledges of reform, scores of Public Interest Disclosures remain in limbo, with serious allegations of wrongdoing still not investigated. The courageous whistleblowers continue to have their rights trampled, too.
WHAT YOU SAID: Join the conversation below >>>
Truth
Who do you think labor wll take to the next election, Miles or Fentiman?
I really cant see the premier surviving until then.
Left No Clue
The arrogance, deceit and hubris of this government is staggering. That this sorry excuse for a government apparently cannot find $10m to set up and $6m pa to run, an integrity commission, speaks volumes about their subterfuge. Read also Kylie Langs article today and look at Albitsneaky’s proposed ‘Misinformation’ legislation, and be very, very concerned where state and federal socialism are heading. Not to mention the massive constitutional deceit being played out.
Mary
Straight out of the Marxist textbook
Marilyn
This is incredibly scary. We’re being turned into a Socialist Dictatorship step by step.
Politicians need to be reined in - tight.
Don’t expect politicians to do anything about it. They’re all too worried about their power and money.
It’s up to you, people.
C’mon Queenslanders!
Perry
Anna and many many of her minions are quite frankly well past their UBD. Sad state of affairs in Qld.
Donald
Labor is abusing parliamentary process left right and centre to hide its failings. Curbs on parliamentary privilege are an outrage. The right of Members to raise any issue or question is sacrosanct. The ALP’s arrogance warrants a might loss in 2024.
Doc
Anna’s govt is one of Shame, a Shame for Qld and a Shame political decency.
Vortigern
It’s been apparent to me for a long time that Queensland Labor regards parliamentary sittings as an annoying inconvenience. Labor and its union mates regard the State as their personal fiefdom where they can do what they like. Surely Labor won’t be in power after next year’s election.
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