Annastacia Palaszczuk: upset at "sexist juvenile taunts" in State Parliament. Source: The Courier-Mail
OPPOSITION Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk will today seek a full apology from the Newman Government after being subjected to "sexist juvenile taunts" during Question Time yesterday.
The trouble began when Treasurer Tim Nicholls said it was his “first time with the Leader of the Opposition and I am excited by it" after she directed a question to him in Parliament.
Tell us: Does Parliament need to lift its standards? Use the comments section at the end of this story.
He then followed up with "the first answer was so good she came back with a second one" when Ms Palaszczuk asked another question.
"I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for the opportunity to do it again," Mr Nicholls said.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek then jumped in with "it won't be a one-night stand” which he withdrew at Ms Palaszczuk's request.
Mr Nicholls today withdrew the comments which Ms Palaszczuk found offensive.
Mr Nicholls told Parliament this morning the comments were not intended to cause offence.
"Nothing in my response was meant to give the meaning the Leader of the Opposition has taken from those comments," he said.
"However I fully withdraw those comments."
Ms Palaszczuk had said she would write to Speaker Fiona Simpson seeking a full apology because it was “not isolated behaviour from one minister”.
“This was the Treasurer and the Education Minister – two of this government’s most senior ministers – working in tandem, using comments that should never have been said,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Sexist juvenile taunts are not acceptable anywhere – let alone on the floor of the parliament.
“I can take a joke but this was completely inappropriate and I’m sure all Queensland women would be offended that their elected representatives would be carrying on in such an undignified manner.”
Six school children were in the gallery during the display, along with the Premier’s wife Lisa Newman.
Last year the Premier was accused of lowering parliamentary standards when he let fly with a string of insults directed at Shadow Treasurer Curtis Pitt.
Campbell Newman repeatedly interjected, calling Mr Pitt a “grub” and a “thug” and urging him to “get a real job”.
At the time the Premier’s spokeswoman said Labor’s complaints about Mr Newman’s language were the “height of hypocrisy” given the party’s attacks on him and his family in the lead up to the 2012 State Election.
A spokeswoman for the Treasurer declined to comment last night.
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