Queensland government moves censure motion, condemns opposition absences from parliament

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Queensland government has moved a censure motion against the opposition for the first time since 2011. It comes as five Labor MPs missed parliament sitting day on Wednesday, a day after the LNP handed down its budget.

Transcript

00:00The Premier back to school for the Budget Cell.

00:05Announcing six new special schools.

00:08We are determined to give parents choice, and that's what this is about.

00:11And promoting a $100 payment for all primary students.

00:16It's a small contribution to help with those school essentials.

00:19Back at Parliament, there were empty seats on the Labor benches

00:25as some MPs skipped question time.

00:28Four press conferences in Cairns, Mackay, Townsville, Toowoomba and Rockhampton

00:34to criticise the Budget.

00:36It doesn't matter how I vote, the Government have the numbers.

00:39And even when we're in Parliament, we don't sit in that chamber all day long.

00:41To hold the Government to account as literally the job of the Opposition.

00:45And of course, we'll be doing it inside the Parliament and outside the Parliament as well.

00:51The Government came out swinging.

00:53I see a lot of vacant seats surrounding the Leader of the Opposition.

00:56And I suggest to the Leader of the Opposition that this place here

01:00is a place where you want to turn up and do some work.

01:03On this side of the House, we will never shy away from representing

01:08and spending time in every single part of this state.

01:12I turned up to work, and we expect the Shadow Ministry to turn up to work.

01:17The LNP moved to censure the Opposition.

01:20We made a deliberate choice today to make sure that regional Queenslanders knew

01:26how this LNP Government had let them down in the Budget yesterday.

01:32A true leader would have said, you're required in Parliament.

01:36The Deputy Premier was particularly upset. MPs weren't there to question him.

01:41I said, please, please ask me a question. Please, I beg. I'll pay them. I don't care. I'll pay them to ask me a question.

01:48There's no rule banning the absences, but a former Speaker noted...

01:52I have an old-fashioned view that when Parliament's sitting, I like the executive held to account,

01:58and they are held to account in the first instance at question time.

02:03Stephen Miles has promised his absent MPs will be back in Parliament tonight,

02:08where legislation enabling venues for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games

02:14to be exempt from major planning laws will be debated.

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