MP Ros Bates referred to ethics committee after accusing Health Minister Shannon Fentiman of inciting violence against during row in state parliament

ABC NEWS (Australia)

There have been fiery scenes in state parliament with a QLD opposition MP referred to parliament's powerful ethics committee. The shadow health minister has been accused of 'disrespecting' the speaker amid a row with a Labor minister.

Transcript

00:00 It began with a heated exchange during yesterday's question time about hospitals on birthing

00:06 bypass.

00:07 If I can get a word in Mr Speaker, can I say that all of those masks...

00:16 Pender Majorabar asks you withdraw a comment.

00:19 I withdraw.

00:20 The Health Minister later expressed her outrage on social media, posting a clip incorrectly

00:25 captioned as "close your legs".

00:28 Under parliamentary rules, she had to correct the record.

00:30 In fact, she yelled at me, "Cross your legs".

00:33 It's still abhorrent, completely insulting.

00:36 But her shadow fired back, writing online the comment was clearly not about the Health

00:41 Minister, it was about the alarming Queensland maternity crisis, telling Parliament this

00:46 morning.

00:47 It was a reference to the absurd notion young mothers were having to hold on whilst in labour

00:52 until they got to another hospital.

00:54 Ms Bates says the Minister's social media posts lacked context and resulted in a wave

00:59 of cyber bullying.

01:00 Worse, I have received vile messages and threats of violence on my phone, my email, my social

01:06 media and to my office.

01:09 As a childhood victim of domestic family violence, these threats have been terrifying.

01:14 I now ask that the incitement of these threats stop and plead with the Health Minister and

01:20 others to take down her misleading and deceitful videos.

01:24 The Member for Mudjabah has made very strong allegations that I have incited threats of

01:29 violence against her.

01:30 I reject that.

01:32 The Speaker asked Ms Bates to withdraw her comment.

01:35 Mr Speaker, I'm a victim and I do not withdraw.

01:38 Her defiance landing her with the powerful Ethics Committee.

01:41 If I was in Ros's shoes and I was the victim, I would do exactly what she did.

01:45 I think it's disgraceful.

01:47 I think the Premier has to hold the Minister to account.

01:50 I think the Minister has acted appropriately at all times.

01:55 It's there for people to see.

01:56 They can make up their own minds.

01:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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