The war of words between the state government and the Katter’s Australian Party continues with state leader Robbie Katter comparing the Premier to former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale.
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Mr Katter said Annastacia Palaszczuk was now running the state in the same way Pisasale ran Ipswich Council and Queensland was entering a new era of political instability and bullying.
“The Premier gets on her moral high-horse when it comes to people like Paul Pisasale, then she turns around and punishes people who don’t agree with her political views,’’ Mr Katter said.
Mr Katter says the attempt by the Premier to crush the KAP in Queensland by starving it of staff resources had backfired and opened discussion by her Labor Parliamentary colleagues about her political judgement.
“She obviously won’t tolerate any kind of dissent and I’m sure that’s raising concerns within her own party room,” he said.
Mr Katter has backed warnings by the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties that the Premier’s action contradicts standards set by the Fitzgerald Inquiry and sets a dangerous precedent.
The Council called on the Premier to reverse her decision to strip KAP of parliamentary staff and electorate officers following KAP Senator Fraser Anning’s contentious maiden speech in the Federal Parliament.
Civil Liberties Vice President Terry O’Gorman said the Premier’s stance was contrary to one of the major pillars of the 1989 Fitzgerald Inquiry report which noted then Labour Opposition complaints the Bjelke-Petersen Government had often cut Labour’s parliamentary staff to stifle criticism.
“For the Premier to cut KAP’s State Parliament resources because a Federal KAP Senator made an appalling maiden speech referencing the ‘final solution’ in his criticism of Muslim immigration is illogical and fails to heed the lessons of the Fitzgerald Inquiry.” Mr O’Gorman said.
Mr Katter said members of the Labor Party had spoken to them to raise serious concerns about the Premier’s decision.
“I’m expecting we’ll see Labor members begin to put more pressure on the Premier as the full impact of her decision is felt,” he said.
Mr Katter said he had legal advice that the Premier was in breach of sections 60, 78 and 415 of the Criminal Code by withdrawing staff from the KAP and he has referred the matter to the state’s Crime and Corruption Commission.
