Rare censure as eight Labor MPs dodge budget furnace for road trip

In a highly unusual move that prompted outrage from the government, eight Labor MPs were scattered across the state just one day after an $8.6bn budget blackhole was handed down. TAKE OUR POLL

Opposition Leader Steven Miles and some of his Labor colleagues who were sent to the regions.

Labor politicians skipped parliament and scattered across the state on Wednesday to criticise the government’s budget – with one sensationally declaring it “doesn’t matter how I vote” in the chamber.

In a highly unusual move that prompted outrage from the government, eight Labor MPs missed part of parliament on Wednesday to hold media conferences in regional Queensland, the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

Premier David Crisafulli criticised the Labor MPs who “don’t turn up to work” as parliament voted to censure them.

Parliament will sit just 47 days this year and there is a convention for MPs to attend unless they have personal matters or are on leave.

Leader of the House Christian Rowan argued Labor was “lazy” and not up to the “great responsibilities that are bestowed upon them”.

“They’re not fit to be in government, let alone fit to even be an opposition,” he said.

“Our democratic institution needs to be treated with the dignity and respect it deserves.”

Christian Rowan the MPs weren’t fit to be in opposition. Picture: Liam Kidston

Opposition Leader Steven Miles snapped back at the claim and said Labor MPs were advocating for regional Queensland.

“We will never shy away from representing and spending time in every single part of this state,” Mr Miles said.

“We made a deliberate choice today to make sure that regional Queenslanders knew how this LNP government had let them down in the budget.

“What a bad budget this was for regional Queensland.”

Mr Miles told The Courier-Mail his budget reply will be the “most detailed ever delivered by first-year opposition and will outline a plan to improve housing affordability and investment”.

On Wednesday Labor MP Michael Healy headed to Cairns, Leanne Linard to Toowoomba, Joe Kelly to Townsville, Tom Smith to Bundaberg, Lance McCallum to Mackay and Glenn Butcher to Rockhampton.

Shadow Attorney-General Meaghan Scanlon travelled to the Gold Coast after question time and Bart Mellish went to the Sunshine Coast.

Leanne Linard in Toowoomba on Wednesday.

Mr Healy, asked why he had flown to Cairns for one night instead of remaining in parliament, said his presence in Brisbane would make no difference and said it should “happen more”.

“It doesn’t matter how I vote, the government have the numbers,” he said.

“What I need to be doing is representing the people up here, I need to be speaking to the people up here who haven’t been represented.

“I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever, I think it should happen more.

“The (budget) Bill hadn’t even started being discussed.

“I will voice my region’s views on that bill when it starts. We have missed absolutely nothing in parliament.”

The absence of Labor MPs prompted the government to introduce a censure motion in parliament - condemning the behaviour, without any punishment - for the first time in 13 years.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said Mr Miles had failed the leadership test.

“I’m here because parliament is sitting and it is the day after a budget has been handed down and these lazy MPs think they’ve got to go back to their constituencies,” he said.

“A true leader would have said you’re required in Parliament.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie wasn’t impressed. Picture: Liam Kidston

“It is failed leadership from you (Mr Miles) because if you were a proper and good leader you would have looked the shadow minister in the eye and said, no, you’ve got to be here to back the team.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick said the centre motion was akin to being slapped with a “wet lettuce” and noted the LNP in 2018 allowed its MP Michael Hart to go on a holiday to Canada.

“The Member for Burleigh was given leave to go on a cruise and then the Rocky Mountaineer, the train system through the Rocky Mountains,” Mr Dick said.

“At least the people of Canada have a rail line unlike the people of Maroochydore who are getting a bus.”

“This is just a waste of time.”

The government won the censure motion 49 votes to 26.

The last time a censure motion was moved in Queensland Parliament was in 2011 when former Premier Anna Bligh accused LNP opposition members of being absent during parliamentary debate for 20 minutes.

Separately, Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek has defended giving private school students - whose families pay up to $20,000 each year in fees – access to the government’s $100 cost-of-living boost.

Visiting Mitchelton Special School with Mr Crisafulli and Treasurer David Janetzki on the morning after the budget, Mr Langbroek said the Back to School Boost would benefit 477,000 Queensland primary school children.

Meaghan Scanlon headed to the Gold Coast after Question Time. (Photo: Josh Woning)

The $188.6m program, rolling out from January 1, will apply to state, Catholic, and independent students, including nearly 150,000 children at private schools, some of which charge premium fees.

Mr Langbroek argued the cash relief would help families cover overwhelming costs for books, stationery, and sports gear - particularly those on single incomes.

“All parents face costs when it comes to taking their kids to school or getting their kids to school,” he said.

“We’re not going to penalise people because of the choices they make.

“They still have those costs.”

John-Paul Langbroek defended the decision. Picture: Liam Kidston

Queensland’s most expensive primary schools include Brisbane Grammar School, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, and Somerville House, all charging around $20,000 for Year 6 students.

Regional families are also slugged with high fees, including $13,860 at Toowoomba Grammar School, $9200 at Townsville Grammar School, and $7452 at Rockhampton Grammar School.

The $100 will be applied directly to student accounts, with Mr Langbroek confirming families would not receive vouchers to avoid them from “cashing them in”.

“We want to make sure this is applied to the costs of going to school,” he said.

Mr Janetzki said the boost was part of a broader cost-of-living package designed to help every Queensland family.

“We’re investing in this targeted program across the forwards to support Queensland families as part of a responsible and comprehensive cost-of-living package,” he said.

Originally published as Rare censure as eight Labor MPs dodge budget furnace for road trip