Labor’s Brisbane councillors slammed for boycotting post-budget information sessions
Labor’s five Brisbane councillors have come under fire for using the same tactics as their state MP colleagues who failed to show up for parliament this week.
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Labor’s five Brisbane councillors have come under fire for boycotting post-Budget information sessions this week, the same tactics which saw their state MP colleagues censured.
Staffers instead took notes while the councillors spent time in their wards in protest at what they claimed was a deliberate attempt by the LNP to keep them in the dark on important issues.
The tactic came after a spectacular own goal on budget day when Labor leader Jared Cassidy was caught out telling journalists he did not invite protesters into the City Hall public gallery.
Moments later, he admitted to doing so and apologised.
The protesters included Young Labor members who held up Story Bridge toll signs, while Labor councillors held up the same signs in the chamber.
The LNP declined to comment, but Greens councillor Trina Massey blasted the no-show.
“Estimates are one of the few formal mechanisms for councillors to question officers and the administration on how ratepayer money is being spent,’’ she said.
“These hearings run as three-hour sessions. LNP and opposition parties alternate, with one
question each, allowing line-by-line interrogation of the budget.
“However, if no opposition councillors are present, the LNP is able to terminate the process, sidestepping transparency and scrutiny.
“Labor councillors failed to attend all Budget Estimate Committees. Instead, they sent staffers to observe, who quietly took notes on the Greens’ questions and the answers received — answers which were then re-used by Labor in their later debates on the budget.
“If the Greens hadn’t shown up to committee questioning, the LNP would’ve steamrolled their slash and cut agenda without a single challenge.’’
Ms Massey said a LNP committee chair was at one point poised to shut down the committee, while she was on a toilet break, as there were no other Opposition councillors present. It resumed when Ms Massey returned to the Chamber, however.
Independent councillor Nicole Johnston has been present for information sessions this week.
It comes after Labor, the two Greens councillors and Ms Johnston complained that weekly meetings were now restricted to just five hours.
They pointed out that Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner was frequently absent from the Chamber and that Question Time was sometimes cut short.
But the LNP has in turn attacked the Opposition for making multiple points of order, calling out or not speaking to questions.
In February Ms Johnston, who makes frequent points of order, was referred to the local government watchdog for inappropriate meeting conduct.
LNP councillors rarely attracted warnings from LNP chair, Sandy Landers, despite also calling out or failing to answer questions, the Opposition said.
“Unlike the Lord Mayor who has been absent for most of (Wednesday this week), we are in City Hall today and tomorrow for the special budget meeting,’’ Mr Cassidy said.
“This is a formal part of the budget process. Budget information sessions are not.
“I’m reliably told information sessions delivered less information than ever before.
“Why would you participate in a process that has been totally bastardised by the LNP to ensure councillors don’t receive information?
“So instead, Brisbane Labor swapped the council chamber for the suburbs and brought the budget to the people.
“We’ve combed through the budget books, sought feedback straight from residents and are in the Chamber today and tomorrow letting this LNP council know what Brisbane really thinks about the budget.”
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