Queensland premier accuses opposition leader Lawrence Springborg of using abuse claims by Labor outcast MP’s ex-partner for political gain

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has accused opposition leader Lawrence Springborg of using an alleged abuse victim for political gain in the Billy Gordon saga.

Both leaders are campaigning in Gordon’s far northern electorate of Cook as they brace themselves for a possible byelection, which could end the state’s short-lived minority government, if he decides to quit parliament.

The rookie MP resigned in disgrace from Labor after it was revealed he didn’t declare old criminal convictions, allegations of domestic violence against his ex-partner surfaced and he admitted to failing to pay owed child support.

A second woman has since approached the government making domestic violence allegations against the now-Independent MP.

With the saga throwing Palaszczuk’s minority government into chaos, she has turned the table on Springborg, accusing his Liberal National party (LNP) of having a hand in the ordeal.

“Get out of the gutter because Queenslanders don’t expect that,” Palaszczuk said in front of Mossman residents.

“He [Springborg] said it was going to be a different way of being in opposition. Well it’s the lowest of low ... and it’s disgusting and it’s absolutely deplorable.”

Speaker Peter Wellington has also suggested there were “other currents at work” as he defended the time it took for him to respond to the initial abuse allegations after they were raised with him.

Wellington says none of the allegations so far legally require Gordon to resign from parliament.

Clerk of parliament Neil Laurie wrote to Wellington on Tuesday, corroborating his version of events. He urged the Speaker to take the allegations against Gordon to police.

Laurie wrote that the woman had made eight separate allegations of assault and two of deprivation of liberty against Gordon.

But he said unless they were proven by police and Gordon convicted, nothing would stop him from voting in parliament.

The clerk also doubted the LNP’s ability to refuse the Cook MP’s vote as crossbenchers always vote after the government and opposition.

Springborg headed to the Cook electorate to hear residents’ concerns about the current state of political paralysis.

“Many people will want to talk to me about how they feel very let down, I would imagine, about Labor and their selection process and the fact we now have a government which is in turmoil because of their inability to sort out their own affairs,” he said.

Gordon had eye surgery on Monday and said he would use his recovery time to consider his future.