Campbell Newman’s management of Brisbane City Council showed how he would treat dissenters if elected to power in Queensland, Deputy Premier Paul Lucas said in Parliament today.

“In recent times we have seen an LNP member in the Brisbane City Council chamber removed 11 times,” he said. [In fact the councillor suspended, Nicole Johnston, is a former LNP member who now sits as an independent.]

“I have never seen that during my time in parliament under speakers of either political spectrum. We also saw a police officer having to remove a councillor. That, again, is something that I have never ever seen happen during my time in this chamber in relation to an elected member.”

Mr Lucas said new Lord Mayor Graham Quirk sent a text message to the council chair (Krista Adams), telling her to throw Cr Johnston out of the chamber.

“Imagine if that happened here,” he said.

Mr Lucas said in contrast to Brisbane City Council, the Queensland Parliament was treated “appropriately” by both conservative and Labor administrations.

“We know that it is crystal clear how Campbell Newman treats people who dissent and that is how members opposite would treat people if they were ever to hold the Treasury benches in this House,” he said.