Labor frontbencher Grace Grace apologises after committee's contempt finding

The ethics committee has recommended Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace be found in contempt over a quarrelling incident. (ABC News: Lucas Hill) Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace has apologised to state parliament after an ethics committee recommended she be held in contempt. The committee's findings relate to a quarrelling incident in December last year, in which Ms Grace alleged Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie made threatening comments. Speaker Pat Weir also called on all state MPs to reflect on their behaviour with debate on the state budget becoming "overly personal". Link copiedShareShare articleQueensland parliament's ethics committee has recommended Labor frontbencher Grace Grace be found in contempt. It stems from a series of events involving "quarrelling" between Ms Grace and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, during a sitting week last year. The committee's findings were tabled in parliament on Friday morning and called for Ms Grace to offer an "unequivocal apology to the House at the earliest opportunity" over the alleged incidents. On December 10, the shadow industrial relations minister accused Mr Bleijie of making several comments that were "words to the effect of 'I will get you'" while pointing at her. In response, Mr Bleijie told parliament he didn't. Queensland Premier Jarrod Bleijie denied making threatening comments to Ms Grace. (ABC News: Luke Bowden) "I said 'Don't bully me.' I am not bullying you. That is not true," he said. Ms Grace said she felt threatened and asked the speaker to rule on the disorderly conduct. Speaker Pat Weir said he didn't hear the comments and that she could write to him. The following day, Ms Grace told parliament that she believed Mr Bleijie "threatened" her after she had reviewed footage of the alleged incident. "Everyone deserves to feel safe in their workplace," she told the house on December 11. In his view, Mr Weir said both members of parliament engaged in "quarrelling in the chamber", which he said could refer to the ethics committee. "But I am choosing instead to give both members an opportunity to apologise to the House and withdraw their words," he said. Mr Bleijie apologised and withdrew for quarrelling in the chamber. Ms Grace told the speaker she believed she did not have any have anything to apologise for. Ms Grace refused to apologise for her comments and called for the matter to be investigated further. (ABC News: Lucas Hill) "The Deputy Premier has clearly threatened me, and this matter needs to be further investigated," she said. Later that day, she used question time to ask Premier David Crisafulli about the alleged incident. The series of events was referred to the ethics committee by Mr Weir that day. The committee investigated the alleged quarrelling, Ms Grace not apologising and withdrawing when offered the opportunity to do so along with the irregularly prosecuting a matter of privilege. It found that it was clear Ms Grace was "aggrieved" by the words captured in the unofficial transcript. "While the Deputy Premier's words were threatening, they fell short of reaching the threshold of a contempt," the report said. "The member could have apologised and withdrawn with respect to the quarrelling without affecting her right to pursue an alleged contempt." The committee found the "failure to apologise is also an interference with the Assembly of the free exercise of its authority". The Queensland parliament's ethics committee called for Ms Grace to make an "unequivocal apology". (ABC News: Brigham Edgar) It also found that Ms Grace, one of the most experienced members of the current parliament, had irregularly prosecuted the matter. The committee determined that an appropriate penalty would be for Ms Grace to apologise to the House at the earliest opportunity. Speaking in state parliament shortly after the findings were tabled on Friday, Ms Grace offered her "unreserved apologies". The ethics committee includes three members from the LNP and three from Labor. Debate as to whether Ms Grace will be found in contempt will be held on a later date. On a separate matter, speaker Mr Weir had also called on all state MPs to reflect on their behaviour with debate on the state budget becoming "overly personal". The budget was handed down on Tuesday, with all sides of politics debating it. Mr Weir said debate in parliament had become "overly personal". (ABC News: Luke Bowden) "A review of this week's speeches on bills will find them littered with personal attacks on other members, inferences, imputations and just outright slurs," Mr Weir said on Friday morning. "Members, this is becoming a race to the bottom". He asked all MPS to adjust their collective behaviour. Copy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)PromotionTop StoriesSocceroos seal World Cup progression with gritty draw against ParaguayLIVE

Labor frontbencher Grace Grace apologises after committee's contempt finding

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