This question concerned the Premier's response to peaceful climate change protest in which she stated protest should be silent. No Greens MPs were involved in the protest despite any insinuations made by the Premier below
Amy: My question is to the Premier. In reference to the Premier’s comments yesterday that people have the right to protest silently in public, is the Premier aware of the history of the union movement, whereby loud and disruptive protest has been crucial and effective?
Premier:
I thank the member for the question. I say to the member that what happened in this House yesterday was not the democracy nor the state that we want to see people live in. Yes, people do have the right to protest. I think it is a very serious issue if any member of this House was involved in that protest and there should be very serious consequences for that if that is the case. You might laugh about it, but it is not a laughing matter.
Speaker:
Through the chair, Premier.
Premier:
It is not a laughing matter because some members approached me afterwards feeling very unsafe in their workplace. The irony of the whole situation yesterday was that I was talking about renewable energy. Unlike the Greens, the Labor Party can actually bring about change to people’s lives. Unlike the Greens, we have substantial policy that we can put in place. Let me say that every single one of my members is absolutely proud of our Energy and Jobs Plan that we released, and we will implement that plan—the strongest in the nation.
What happened yesterday was something that we do not want to see happen in this parliament. We are representatives of the people and we come in here to debate issues and this is a workplace. Outside here, we have normal protests that happen and that is where they happen; they happen all the time. They can be loud and people can speak, but we ask people to respect the laws of our land. What happened yesterday is disrespecting this parliament. This parliament is the house of democracy for Queensland. Mr Speaker, I applaud your sentiments that were said today. I understand that some of these matters may be referred to the Ethics Committee and I hope those members who may have been involved in this cooperate with the investigation.
Let me also say that our Energy and Jobs Plan is a concrete, substantial plan. It is going to be $62 billion and it is already backed with money from our government to kickstart those planning processes. It is involving a SuperGrid and it is changing our coal-fired power stations into clean energy hubs. It has been welcomed by industry and it has been welcomed by the community.
Michael Berkman interjected.
Speaker:
The member for Maiwar will cease his interjections.
Premier:
The member for Maiwar might like to go out to his constituency and ask them who is going to build the steel. Perhaps the member for Maiwar wants a reality check—
Michael Berkman interjected.
Speaker:
The Premier’s time has expired.
Premier:
He needs a reality check about how—
Speaker:
The Premier will resume her seat.
Premier:
Don’t drive a car then.
Speaker:
Premier, I caution you because I had asked you to resume your seat. The member for Maiwar’s interjections were also after I had called the House to order. You are warned under the standing orders.