Capalaba
The current Labor MP - Don Brown (Jnr)
Elected on 31 Jan 2015.
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Redland City Bulletin, 5 Feb 2020 "Queensland Parliament's Speaker warns Capalaba MP Don Brown to check his facts after pecuniary interest allegation"
CAPALABA MP Don Brown has been warned by the Speaker of the Queensland Parliament to check his facts before making allegations to the House. "It is worth noting that the member for Capalaba's allegations contained factually incorrect material," he told the House.
"... I would like to take this opportunity to remind all members that they should apply due diligence in verifying the facts relied upon when seeking to have a matter of privilege referred to the Ethics Committee. "To make baseless or false accusations may amount to a contempt in its own right."
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Courier Mail, 20 April 2020 "Union hoping to cash in on poll pledges"
Union bosses are warning Annastacia Palaszczuk to honour commitments Labor made to them, issuing blatant reminders of how they helped the party secure an unlikely win on January 31.
Gary Bullock, who heads left-wing union United Voice, even went so far as to refer to the members and ministers as "United Voice MPs".
CAPALABA MP Don Brown has been warned by the Speaker of the Queensland Parliament to check his facts before making allegations to the House. "It is worth noting that the member for Capalaba's allegations contained factually incorrect material," he told the House.
"... I would like to take this opportunity to remind all members that they should apply due diligence in verifying the facts relied upon when seeking to have a matter of privilege referred to the Ethics Committee. "To make baseless or false accusations may amount to a contempt in its own right."
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Quest Newspapers, 12 Nov 2019 "State MP accused of using parliamentary privilege against councillor. "
"The president of Queenslands' local government peak body has accused a state MP" (Don Brown) "of using parliamentary privilege against a local councillor who's been the subject of investigations. "This is wrong and smacks of politics, when a State Member can prosecute his case with the benefit of Parliamentary Privilege, whilst an independent investigatory process is under way"."
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Redlands Coast News, 3 May 2019 "Battle of Bowman debate becomes fight between organiser and Queensland State MP"
"A Bowman businessman has claimed “unsubstantiated” social media attacks against him personally by Queensland State MP Don Brown (Capalaba) are ruining his business reputation."
(The businessman) said the actions and attack by Mr Brown, as a Member of Parliament, on a member of the public were “completely disgusting, unethical, unnecessary and borderline defamatory”. "Not only that, they are incorrect,” he said.
“It’s disgraceful. All I am trying to do is organise a community debate that people can attend for free (or a gold coin donation to charity) and everyone was given the same invitation and opportunity – unlike the Chamber of Commerce, which was a paid event for business members only.
Courier Mail, 16 Mar 2019 "Minister, MPs attend protest against one of their own, earning rebuke"
"A State Government minister and three Labor MPs have attended a protest against one of their own, earning a rebuke from the Premier.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Housing Minister Mick de Brenni and fellow Left faction MPs Don Brown*, Kim Richards and Nikki Boyd were in attendance outside the Government’s executive building last Wednesday as their union, United Voice, marched on the building, declaring Police Minister Mark Ryan had “blood on his hands” over the handling of the state’s prison contracts.
Mr Brown said their attendance was not unusual, insisting MPs had attended other union rallies in the past.
Former and current Labor MPs however, told The Courier-Mail they believed the attendance, especially of a fellow Cabinet Minister, was “extraordinary” given the union was directly targeting a government minister over looming Cabinet decision.
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* Don Brown is a member of the Left faction of the ALP, which is led by Jackie Trad.
Redland City Bulletin, 14 May 2019 "LNP MP Mark Robinson calls on speaker to refer MP Don Brown to Parliament's ethics committee"
"OODGEROO MP Mark Robinson has called for an investigation into Capalaba MP Don Brown over a flyer showing Mr Robinson with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
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The LNP member said that Labor's Mr Brown had tweeted a doctored flyer,
showing Mr Robinson and Ms Hanson with the One Nation logo.
"(It gave) the impression that I serve as a One Nation member of Parliament
or at the very least its candidate," Mr Robinson said.
"I take great offence at both the tweet from the member for Capalaba
and the flyer.
"If the artwork of the flyer was prepared by the member for Capalaba or his office
then I believe a serious contempt, if not fraud, has been committed by the member."
100% fake.
Created by Don Brown, then tweeted.
Redland City Bulletin, 12 Sep 2019 "Capalaba MP Don Brown, Redland City mayor Karen Williams lash out over early emergency warning system"
CAPALABA MP Don Brown says he was shocked that the Redland City Council did not have an emergency warning system, but a furious mayor Karen Williams has slammed Mr Brown for causing concern just weeks before the city's service would be made available.
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"In this instance Mr Brown's ill-informed comments resulted in concern within the community, meaning council had to respond to his social media stunt when we had more pressing matters at hand like preparing the community during the current bushfire risk," Cr Williams said.
"Had Mr Brown bothered to check the facts before posting to social media, he would have learnt that the plan has always been to offer such a service ahead of the traditional fire season. "He also would've learnt that we have successfully used the QFES early alert SMS system on a number of occasions and our own social media presence to provide advice to the community."
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Cr Williams said that residents often told her they were tired of "Mr Brown's post-first ask later" approach.
"Don's mud-slinging on social media isn't new. The community has come to expect it and generally we all ignore it, but when it causes concern and potential risk it can't go unchecked," she said.
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"His actions are hurting the government in the Redlands and are wearing thin with council and the community, he really needs to do better.
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"I sometimes wonder what he would do if he didn't have social media, would he make ill-informed comments and offend people on an individual basis or perhaps hire a billboard for greater reach?"
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The MP subsequently posted on his facebook page, claiming to have been
responsible for delivering the Emergency Warning System to Redland City.
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The Mayors response - to identify it as a
Council initiative, paid for by ratepayers.
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Redland City Bulletin, 5 Apr 2018 "Redland mayor and state MP fight war of words over infrastructure"
"THE war of words between Capalaba MP Don Brown and mayor Karen Williams has escalated, with Mr Brown saying Cr Williams had given up trying to get infrastructure for the city.
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(Cr Williams) said she had not given up working with the state or federal government on infrastructure but she would not keep responding to Mr Brown, whose media comments amounted to bullying. “Every time I have to spend time correcting his social media statements is hours I could spend working on issues as the local government representative,” she said. “I have a strong record collaborating with governments of all kinds over the past 14 years.
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“I hope the fact that I am not a member of any party does not interfere with funding for Redlands projects.”
Cr Williams said Mr Brown put little effort into attending infrastructure planning sessions but she hoped he would call or meet with her to discuss issues.
Redland City Bulletin, 27 July 2017 "Political brawl erupts in Redlands over Birkdale land"
"MAYOR Karen Williams says Capalaba MP Don Brown’s move to start a petition to save Birkdale bushland from development is a political stunt that shows ignorance of the issue.
She said Mr Brown had not bothered to phone her about the issue and if he had he would have discovered that the council move to buy the land was aimed at keeping it out of the hands of developers where it would likely become housing."
Blank text to force other down
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Queensland
The Premier
"Annastacia Palaszczuk found in contempt of Queensland parliament over Anning speech."
The Deputy Premier
The Ministers
"Booze ban speaks volumes about calibre of cabinet. Premier's desperate demand for sobriety from her ministers." The Courier Mail, 5 Nov 19
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The Budget
"Queensland's June budget showed total borrowings set to rise to $82.9 billion in 2022-23, with the interest bill rising to $3.35 billion in 2022-23." The Australian, 20 Nov 19
(Note: $3.35 billion interest equates to $382 000 per hour)
"Queensland Auditor-General issues scathing report into state's finances." The Australian, 12 Feb 20
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The Waste
(a) eHealth project blowout: $256,800,000;
(b) ICT dashboard project blowout: $211,897,547;
(c) uncollectable SPER debt write-off: $191,000,000;
(d) fixing Labor’s rail fail: $170,660,000;
(e) closing privately operated prisons for the unions: $111,000,000;
(f) ministers’ personal staff cost blowouts: $1,860,184;
(g) TAFE IT blowout: $1,400,000;
(h) taxis for train drivers: $493,033;
(i) functions and hospitality costs: $289,000;
(j) ministers’ overseas travel: $267,821;
(k) QR CCTV screen duplications: $50,000,000;
(l) government advertising in breach of election commitment: $3,480,840;
(m) Goldoc golden handshakes: $650,000;
(n) Lady Cilento name change: $302,082;
(o) study into Whitsunday shark attacks to see if three shark attacks are a problem: $250,000;
(p) Commonwealth Games Labor’s giveaway tickets: $230,000;
(q) Labor’s charter flights for young crims: $180,000;
(r) consultant to recommend name change from DIQ to DJQ: $136,000;
(s) brand research about TAFE Queensland: $102,300;
(t) phone app to help fat dogs lose weight: $100,000;
(u) WorkCover Queensland executives’ overseas junket: $47,600;
(v) Premier’s captain’s call on Terry Mackenroth stadium: $13,600;
(w) Jobs Queensland logo: $37,086.50;
(x) extra ministers in breach of election promise: $10,600,000;
(y) Premier’s personal office budget blowout: $290,585;
(z) ASF Spit project compensation: $13,000,000; and
(aa) accommodation bill for Premier and entourage at the Commonwealth Games: $81,313.69
Mr Mander, Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Hansard, 3 Apr 19
"Commuters will be given a virtual reality tour of the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail’s tunnels and stations. Ms Jones would not reveal the cost of the centre." The Courier Mail, 19 Sep 19
The Public Service
"The wages bill for public servants in Qld grew almost 30% across the five years to last financial year." The Australian, 20 Nov 19
"Queensland's public sector pay bill was $28.5 bn last financial year, $6.3 bn more than the federal government's." The Australian, 20 Nov 19
"Report finds contractors, consultants costing taxpayers more than $1.5 billion on top of wages bill. More than $1.5 billion in wages are being paid to a hidden workforce with the cash not included in the Palaszczuk Government’s annual wages bill." The Courier Mail, 6 Jun 19
"$3.3m in payouts to Qld state bureaucrats. New figures expose the hefty benefits paid out to departing state bureaucrats, including a single payment of $337,000 to one public servant who left his job after a period of leave." The Courier Mail, 2 Oct 19
"The Palaszczuk Government has added thousands of new employees to the public service in just three months, ahead of promised cuts across the workforce. During the Government's one and a half terms, 27223 people have been added to the public service. The Government has repeatedly said there would be no forced redundancies." The Courier Mail, 24 Jul 19
The Unions
"Overtime worked by Queensland Rail train drivers jumped by almost 4000 hours within weeks of the 2015 election of the Palaszczuk government, new figures reveal. The Australian, 4 Jan 17
"Hundreds of Queensland Rail employees are in line to benefit from over $7 million in bonuses, despite taking almost three years to fix rail fail timetable woes. If awarded, the bonuses would also take the salary bill for the 410 employees to more than $75 million – an average of $183,000 per worker. As recently as April this year, taxpayers were forking out almost $500,000 in overtime every week." The Courier Mail, 27 Sep 19
"A Question on Notice this week from the State Opposition showed just 35 external recruits have been hired since its September 2017 job campaign targeting 200 extra drivers. That is despite the campaign attracting 10,000 applications. Former transport minister Jackie Trad at the time hosed down concerns of union delays to recruitment." The Courier Mail, 30 Mar 19
"Over 200,000 Queensland public servants are set to be given a $1,250 bonus under a staggering quarter of a billion dollar cash splash from the Palaszczuk Government. Queensland Council Of Unions Acting general secretary Michael Clifford said they welcomed the public sector bonuses." The Courier Mail, 22 Sep 19
"Queensland has topped the nation for alleged illegal strikes, with more construction union officials before the courts here than in any other part of the country." The Courier Mail, 25 Nov 19
The Questions
"Queensland Government's hush money may not make controversial dismissal story go away. A former press secretary's legal case against the Queensland Government has been settled, but there seems to be unfinished business. A trail of affidavits expose allegations of serious ministerial wrongdoing, backstabbing, cover-ups, bullying, professional sabotage and infighting, and leaks of cabinet documents led to a police raid on the ABC" The Courier Mail, 1 Feb 20
"Hacking fears over new software management system at Queensland's Electoral Commission. Will the sweeping new software management system now in development for Queensland's Electoral Commission be vulnerable to Chinese hackers?" The Courier Mail, 26 Oct 18
The Jobs for Mates
"Employment Minister Shannon Fentiman has belatedly declared staying at the Canadian ski slopes home of a consultant whose firm later won work from her department.The Queensland Government spent more than $300 000 on external consultants to help repair this year's budget, including former Labor Premier Anna Blight's chiefs of staff, Nicole Scurrah and Mike Kaiser." The Australian, 23 July 19
"The Queensland Government spent more than $300 000 on external consultants to help repair this year's budget, including former Labor Premier Anna Bligh's chiefs of staff, Nicole Scurrah and Mike Kaiser." The Australian, 23 July 19
"Ms Scurrah is part of the consulting team hired by Treasury last month to help develop ways to cut spending on consultants." The Courier Mail, 1 August 19
"In his second apology for the week, Toohey MP Mr Russo apologised unreservedly to the House for the statement he made in October while dealing with questions around whether he should declare a conflict of interest on matters concerning Legal Aid. The questions arose due to his role as chair of State Parliament's legal affairs committee an because the law firm he owns is a major provider to legal aid." The Courier Mail, 29 Nov 19
Former ALP President John Battams. Non-Executive Director on the board of the Queensland Investment Corporation.
Former ALP Brisbane Lord Mayor Jim Soorley. Chairman of state-owned power generator CS Energy.
Former ALP President John Battams. Non-Executive Director on the board of the Queensland Investment Corporation.
Former MP in Bligh Labor Government Paul Lucas. Chairman of the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project.
Former MP in Beattie Labor Government Linda Lavarch. Chairwoman of Screen Queensland.
Former Electrical Trades Union national policy advisor, Lance McCallum. Executive Director of the Palaszczuk Government's "Just Transition" Group.
Education
"PISA report reveals almost half of Qld students lag behind in maths. An international test has revealed a staggering long-term decline in maths, science and reading in Queensland students." The Courier Mail, 4 Dec 19
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2019 NAPLAN results: Queensland slides backwards in tests. Queensland students have gone backwards in more than half of all NAPLAN categories, and scored lower than the national average at every year level and in every subject." The Courier Mail, 28 Aug 19
Health
"Ambulance ramping at southeast Queensland hospitals is worsening. Queensland’s hospitals are struggling with overcrowding, with new figures revealing the shocking extent of their ambulance ramping problem." The Courier Mail, 27 Aug 19
"Sick Queenslanders are going blind and getting hooked on painkillers as they wait for years to have surgery in public hospitals. Elderly patients are waiting longer for eye surgery and hip and knee replacements due to a major blowout in surgical waiting lists in Queensland." The Courier Mail, 10 Feb 20
"Only 16 paediatric surgeons to deal with kids in need. There are 2592 children waiting for surgery in Queensland." The Courier Mail, 10 Feb 20
"Queensland Health has written off or waived $21.3 million in debt owed by staff - and it still owed $46 million. The Courier Mail, 5 Dec 19
Business
"Queensland has become the broke state, recording more people entering bankruptcy arrangements than anywhere in the country. Not since 2001-2002 has Queensland recorded the most number of bankruptcies of any state or territory." The Courier Mail, 30 Aug 19
Training and Skills Development
"Queensland knocks back $245m in federal skills funding. The Palaszczuk Government has made an “an absolutely astounding decision” to knock back hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds aimed at plugging skills shortages across the state." The Courier Mail, 2 Oct 18
"In a sign of a worsening skills crisis in Queensland, the number of young people completing apprenticeships has plunged by more than 20 per cent since Annastacia Palaszczuk came to power."
The Courier Mail, 24 Dec 19
Employment
"Qld jobless rate worst in country, according to latest data. Queensland's unemployment rate blew out to be worst in the nation after a sharp increase in January. Queensland recorded the largest rise, shooting to 6.3%." The Courier Mail, 21 Feb 20
"Queensland's Youth Jobs Crisis Exposed. As the number of young Queenslanders without a job continues to climb, it can be revealed that Premier Annastasia Palaszczuk has formally disbanded a key jobs creation council. The decision to disband the council came more than two years after it last met." The Courier Mail, 26 Nov 19
"A third of all new jobs created in Qld during the June quarter were funded by taxpayers after the Palaszczuk Government continued its public service hiring spree. The figures demonstrate how the Government's hiring extravaganza is masking a lacklustre jobs market with public funds being used to prop up Queensland's jobless rate." The Courier Mail, 30 Sep 18
Child Safety
"One Queensland child referred to DOCS every four minutes, as Queensland sees an explosion in the number of kids being taken into care in the past year. “We have got 38 per cent of our kids now who have to be taken into care (that have) one or both parents are on ice and that’s a 30 per cent increase on the previous year,” Ms Farmer said. The Courier Mail, 25 Nov 19
"Logan residents fear more kids will die as Department of Child Safety accused of ignoring complaints." The Courier Mail, 25 Nov 19
Infrastructure
"The Eastern Transitway project appears to be years away, with no substantial funding announced in the State's Budget this week. Announced by Labor during the 2017 State election as an interim solution to the stalled Eastern Busway project, the Transitway would provide bus priority lanes on Old Cleveland Road." South-East Advertiser, 14 June 19
"Queensland risks losing some of its multi-billion dollar coal export market to rival suppliers in Russia if the state does not remove bottlenecks at local ports." The Courier Mail, 5 Dec 19
Domestic Violence
"As the nation fights to arrest the scourge of domestic violence, Queensland is trailing in the area of a key law that helps perpetrators stay hidden. Wife bashers can hide their violence behind closed doors due to an archaic Queensland law that keeps their identities a secret." The Courier Mail, 29 Feb 20
"A Queensland man has admitted to splashing petrol on his former partner and threatening to burn their house down, in a court case successfully prosecuted by the victim because the state's police refused to bring domestic violence charges. In 2017 police told the victim, Dani* that there was a prima facie case against her former partner for threatening violence but because there was "a low level of public interest" they would not bring a charge." The Guardian, 24 Feb 20
Crime
"State Government will not appeal sentence for Christmas Day crash deaths. Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath says she will not appeal the minimum three-and-a-half year jail term handed to killer driver Mark Veneris who smashed into the Titton family's car on Christmas Day while high on ice. " The Courier Mail, 23 Aug 19
"A Queensland doctor and a registered nurse have walked free from court after sentencing over producing child exploitation material." The Courier Mail, 25 Feb 20
"Noosa residents are being asked to sign a petition demanding stronger sentencing for the convicted killer of Sharon Cuthbert who was run down in Coolum by a man with an "appalling" traffic record and traces of drugs in his system. Judge Richard Jones sentenced Muirhead to three and a half years with parole eligibility after 12 months." Sunshine Coast Daily, 12 Feb 19
"This week, the family of Ken Altoft were told there would be no appeal on the sentence of Aron Duffy, who was drunk, on drugs and travelling more than 100km/h above the speed limit when he killed the much-loved traffic controller. Duffy was sentenced to six years in prison but will be eligible for parole after two." The Courier Mail, 19 Dec 18
Agriculture
"A federal government vet stationed at Meramist abattoir in Queensland made nine animal welfare reports about the condition of horses slaughtered for export before the Queensland government launched an inquiry." The Guardian, 23 Oct 19
Housing
"Queensland is in the grip of a homelessness "crisis", the state's peak welfare group has warned, as new data shows the public housing waiting list has blown out by two thirds in just under three years." The Courier Mail, 13 Feb 20
"Brisbane housing crisis worsens for city's at-risk youth. A leading Brisbane youth support service says a critical shortage of social housing and rising numbers of at-risk young people is leaving people as young as 16 couchsurfing and rough sleeping because there aren't enough options for them." The Courier Mail, 11 Dec 19
