It was claimed in the newspaper on Saturday that Tony McGrady yelled at a female employee, and grabbed her in the Annexe Foyer at Parliament House in Brisbane on Thursday night. 

An unnamed witness told the newspaper the former parliamentary speaker responded angrily after he was asked for identification. 

Cr McGrady said the claims were not true, but he was reluctant to comment further because he was considering legal action against the newspaper. 

“All statements will be made through my solicitor for legal reasons,” Cr McGrady said. 

His solicitor Anderson Telford, of Anderson Telford Lawyers, said there was “no substance” to the claims. 

“Any suggestion or allegation that Mr McGrady acted in that manner is rejected, particularly the suggestion he pushed or touched another person; that is baseless,” Mr Telford said.

“It’s easy for unknown and unnamed sources to make sweeping public accusations and difficult in Mr McGrady’s position to defend himself in those circumstances.” 

The Mayor was treating the matter seriously, Mr Telford said. 

“He, too, has a legal entitlement to pursue the matter further,” he said.

Mr Telford said Cr McGrady behaved as he ordinarily would on the night. 

“He behaved as one would expect from a former parliamentarian and speaker to behave,” he said.

Mount Isa councillor Jean Ferris said she was aware of the incident. 

The incident was embarrassing and did not put Mount Isa in a good light, considering Cr McGrady was the second mayor in a row to make negative headlines, she said.

Cr Ferris was referring to former mayor John Moloney’s comments in 2008 about “beauty disadvantaged” women being able to find a partner in Mount Isa. 

“Mount Isa doesn’t need all this bad publicity again,” Cr Ferris said. 

“It’s bringing this city down, it’s terrible.”