LNP SHOULD BLAME ITSELF FOR LAW DELAYS

Media Release

Shadow Police Minister and Member for Rockhampton, Bill Byrne, says the LNP should look in the
mirror if it wants to know who delayed proposed new laws tackling out-of-control parties.
“The new laws are set to be debated when State Parliament resumes in February, but LNP MP for
Keppel, Bruce Young, is saying they should have been brought in sooner,” Mr Byrne said.
“Mr Young needs to point the finger at his own party if that’s his concern.
“The amendments to legislation covering police powers were introduced about four months ago in
September 2013.
“The proposed changes were examined by a parliamentary committee which reported in time for
the legislation to be set for debate before Parliament rose for the year in November.
“I was ready to debate it in the last week of State Parliament’s sittings of 2013 when the Newman
Government diverted its efforts into sacking the independent chair of the Parliamentary Crime and
Misconduct Committee and other committee members.
“The government didn’t like what the PCMC was doing so they sacked the committee.
“The Newman Government also diverted its energies into ramming through State Parliament
without consultation its anti-crime gang laws that are now proving so problematic.
“It seems each day we learn of a new problem with the laws.”
Mr Byrne said Mr Young should admit his own government had bungled the introduction of the
laws covering out-of-control parties.
“For once Mr Young should stop trying to blame others and mislead locals and tell the truth about
how badly his party manages the business of Parliament and why such an ‘urgent’ piece of
legislation has been left to sit for four months on the parliamentary notice paper,” Mr Byrne said.

END