Historic day as MPs sworn into fresh parliament
It was a bittersweet day for Labor MPs sitting on the opposite side of the chamber as the Liberal National Party takes power for the first time in nine years.
In a historic first a state parliament has sworn in its first Muslim member as MPs old and new took their oaths before the government gets down to business.
There were many beaming MPs’ faces in the chamber with dozens of family members filling the gallery to see their loved ones sworn into Queensland’s 58th parliament on Tuesday.
For some Labor returning members, it was a bittersweet day to be sitting on the other side of the chamber in opposition.
But it was a notable day for the party with the first Muslim sworn into Queensland parliament.
Member for Sandgate Bisma Asif wore a white sari and swore an oath on the Koran for the first time in the state parliament’s history.
She was greeted by hugs and handshakes from the majority of her party.
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Liberal National members celebrated their seats for the first time in government in nine years.
David Crisafulli is the LNP’s first Queensland premier since Campbell Newman’s 2012-2015 stint, with the party claiming 52 seats to Labor’s 36.
As the roll call of MPs echoed through the chamber, the new LNP member for Capalaba Russell Field garnered plenty of support after losing his son, daughter-in-law and unborn grandchild when a stolen car collided with them on Australia Day.
He was hugged by almost every member of the government’s backbench as his colleagues celebrated his election based on a youth crime crackdown campaign.
Long-serving member for Condamine Pat Weir was elected unopposed as Speaker with the full support of the government and opposition.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie joked Weir should break the case holding the Speaker’s traditional robe and wig to wear it over the next four years.
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“I am a traditionalist and I do believe have some traditional values and I have tried to convince or persuade or bribe the member for Condamine that he should instil a bit of traditionalism into the role of Speaker,” Bleijie said.
Weir sensibly declined the offer.
He was jokingly jostled and dragged from his seat by the premier and deputy premier to make his maiden speech to the house.
“I can honestly say that this was not on my radar when I entered this place, or indeed, until it was raised with me by the party,” he said.
“But I am now looking forward to the challenge.”
He vowed to return the chamber to working at its best after poor behaviour in previous years.
It was not all smiles at Queensland parliament as hundreds of protesters rallied at the gates calling on the government to reinstate a truth-telling inquiry.
Labor MPs including Opposition Leader Steven Miles and former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Minister Leeanne Enoch spoke to the crowd in support of the inquiry.
Bleijie said the government was sticking to its promise to introduce legislation to revoke the path to treaty and inquiry soon, as promised during the campaign, despite the protest.
“There might be 150 protesters, but five million Queenslanders passed a vote on October 26 for the government to scrap the path to treaty and we have a mandate,” he told reporters.
After the formalities over the next two days, parliament will officially sit on Thursday when a raft of legislation will be introduced including the LNP’s headline “adult time for adult crime” laws.
“We look forward to introducing those laws, and those laws are ready to be introduced on Thursday,” Bleijie said.
