QUEENSLAND's Premier has been accused of lowering parliamentary standards after calling Labor MP Curtis Pitt "a thug" and "a grub" and telling him to "get a real job" during debate on changes to the Public Service Act.

In an extraordinary series of interjections, Campbell Newman repeatedly heckled Mr Pitt who was speaking against the government's eleventh hour amendments to the Act to strip job security from public servant agreements.

"Good one you thug", Mr Newman interjected at one point, shortly followed by "good on you grub".

When he was asked to withdraw the "grub" comment, Mr Newman initially refused before the Deputy Speaker suggested it was "unparliamentary" and he should take the comment back.

Mr Pitt said Mr Newman's behaviour on the floor of Parliament had deteriorated since television cameras were banned by Speaker Fiona Simpson last month.

"He might be the Premier of Queensland but he's no statesman," said Mr Pitt.

"I don't think many Queenslanders would be impressed seeing the behaviour of the Premier in the people's house."

He conceded it was a "passionate debate" about the amendments which give the government new powers to change work agreements at the stroke of a pen, but the Premier took matters too far.

"Everyone in that chamber was passionate about the legislation but I think the Premier needs to rise above and display impeccable behaviour," said Mr Pitt, the Leader of Opposition business in the house.

"The Premier hasn't done any form of apprenticeship in the parliament and many of the ways that we interact including the absolute respect for the Chair, is perhaps something he's still to learn."

The Premier's suggestion he "get a real job" was further evidence of the "low regard in which the public sector was held by the LNP," said Mr Pitt.

"You only have to look at what the Treasurer said recently about the "only real job is in the private sector"," he said.

"They do seem to have a disdain for anyone in the broader Labour movement and they also have a disdain for government workers."



But a spokeswoman for the Premier said Mr Pitt's bleatings were the height of hypocrisy given he was a key member of a Labor Government that spent virtually every Parliamentary sitting day for a year launching vicious, personal attacks against Mr Newman's wife and her family.



Parliament's next sitting is budget week, starting September 11.

Hansard excerpt debate on the Public Service and Other Legislation Amendment Bill

Mr PITT: It is Work Choices on steroids.

Mr Newman: Get a real job!

Mr PITT: This is something that those opposite have decided to sneak in-the typical way for this government, consulting with nobody, coming in here at the eleventh hour and just throwing this on the table without even caring what those ramifications are going to be for Queenslanders. The Attorney-General has a lot-Mr Newman: Speak up and get a real job!

Mr PITT: The Premier might wish to go to his seat.

A government member: He's never had a real job!

Mr Newman: Speak up and get a real job!

Mr PITT: The Premier might wish to go to his seat.

Honourable members interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I just remind members that if you need to interject please do so from your own seat.

Mr Newman: The Premier can interject from any cabinet seat. That's the ruling of the Clerk.

Mr PITT: The Premier keeps harping on, and that is fine. If the Premier wishes to keep going, the

Premier can keep going. He might be the Premier of this state, but he is no statesman.

Honourable members interjected.

Mr Newman: Good one! Good one, you thug!

Honourable members interjected.

Mrs CUNNINGHAM: Mr Deputy Speaker-

Mr Newman: Good one, you thug!

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I call the member for Gladstone.

Mr Newman: Did you support the campaign? Yeah, good on you, grub!

Mrs CUNNINGHAM: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I just seek a clarification from the Attorney-General.

Mr PITT: I rise to a point of order. I find the words the Premier has just said offensive and I ask that they be withdrawn.

Mr Newman: You weren't speaking.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier has been asked to withdraw

Mr Newman: He wasn't speaking.

Mr Stevens: He was interjecting.

Mr PITT: He called me a 'grub'.

Mr Newman interjected.

Mr Stevens: You weren't speaking.

Mr Newman: You weren't speaking.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: The term I heard was 'grub' as an interjection.

Mr PITT: From the Premier.

Ms Palaszczuk: Ask him to withdraw it. It's unparliamentary.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: It probably would help the House if the Premier-

Mr Newman: No.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER:-would-

Mr Newman: No.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER:-withdraw.

Mr Newman: No.

Mr PITT: That is a reflection on the chair, Mr Deputy Speaker.

Ms Palaszczuk: You have to withdraw.

Mr STEVENS: I rise to a point of order. There was no direction at all.

Ms Trad: No, there was.

Mr Pitt: He said no.

Mr Mulherin: The chair asked and he said no.

Honourable members interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The term could be considered as potentially unparliamentary language and I just wonder whether the Premier might withdraw that.

Mr NEWMAN: Mr Deputy Speaker, then I will withdraw.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Premier.

Originally published as Grubs, thugs and disorder in the House