One Nation will not run a candidate against Cleveland MP Mark Robinson

Sarah Vogler, The Courier-Mail
September 12, 2017 12:00am
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/one-nation-will-not-run-a-candidate-against-cleveland-mp-mark-robinson/news-story/4dcff2d58aa0cc80f4cc76598a23cecf

THE LNP’s Cleveland MP Mark Robinson will be spared an election fight against One Nation with the resurgent party announcing it will not run a candidate against him.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Mr Robinson, who was forced to rule out a switch to One Nation after he attended a dinner with Pauline Hanson late last year – is expected to be one of a handful of LNP MPs not to be challenged by the minor party.

Cleveland MP Mark Robinson. Picture: Supplied

One Nation has already announced it will not challenge Katter Party MPs Robbie Katter and Shane Knuth and would leave Jo-Ann Miller alone in the seat of Bundamba as well.

One Nation State Leader Steve Dickson told The Courier-Mail he had decided not to run a candidate against Mr Robinson either.

Mr Robinson holds the electorate – which will be renamed Oodgeroo at the next election following the redistribution – with a margin of just under 6 per cent.

“We’re not going to be running against Mark and it is very, very similar to Jo-Ann Miller,” Mr Dickson said. “Mark is a very honourable MP. He has always carried himself with distinction within Parliament.

“When the chips were down when I left the party, he was the only guy who really came out and said ‘I am going treat Steve as a person’. That demonstrates the human quality of people.

“If we end up with a Queensland Parliament full of Jo-Ann Millers and Mark Robinsons then I don’t think it is going to be bad for Queensland.”

Just which other LNP MPs will be spared a One Nation challenge is yet to be determined.

One Nation is still in the process of preselecting candidates and is yet to name challengers for LNP-held seats such as the electorate of Currumbin held by Opposition backbencher Jann Stuckey, Gaven held by Sid Cramp, Moggill held by Christian Rowan, Everton held by Tim Mander and Chatsworth held by Steve Minnikin.

Allegations against Petros Khalesirad revealed as Rob Pyne refuses to apologise over pregnant MP ‘stalker’ incident

Anthony Templeton, Melanie Petrinec, The Courier-Mail
September 8, 2017 12:00am
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/crime-and-justice/allegations-against-petros-khalesirad-revealed-as-rob-pyne-refuses-to-apologise-over-pregnant-mp-stalker-incident/news-story/ad9c9c0862ad1c77f9344b209b5e9e72

AN UNREPENTANT Rob Pyne has refused to apologise for allowing a man into State Parliament who is charged with stalking a pregnant MP, saying he believes the man is innocent.

The Courier-Mail can today reveal the extent of the allegations against Petros Khalesirad, who was sworn into Parliament on Tuesday by Mr Pyne in a “grave” security breach.

Bail documents filed in the Supreme Court, obtained by The Courier-Mail, reveal Khalesirad allegedly asked the neighbours of Keppel MP Brittany Lauga – who he is accused of stalking – about her morning routine and how many bedrooms she had in her house.

The bail documents also reveal a spate of angry Facebook messages sent by the self-styled political journalist to Ms Lauga.

Police also allege Khalesirad posted Ms Lauga’s private number and a picture of her home on Facebook.

Mr Pyne, who is now facing an ethics committee investigation into his behaviour in swearing Khalesirad into Parliament, yesterday said he would not apologise unless Khalesirad was found guilty, and questioned whether Ms Lauga was using stalking allegations to gag someone trying to investigate her.

Keppel MP Brittany Lauga. Picture: Annette Dew

“It seems to me that stalking is just a code word here for someone who is trying to investigate wrongdoing,” the Cairns MP said.

“I’d put money on him not being found guilty of stalking – I’d put a lot of money on it.

“If this gentleman is found guilty of stalking or harassing I will apologise unreservedly (but) I certainly don’t think that will be the case.”

Mr Pyne’s actions drew condemnation from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday, who said it could be a “very serious contempt of Parliament”.

“Those actions appear to have been very, very deliberate,” she said.

“The member concerned (Ms Lauga) is very distressed by this and I have personally spoken with her and reassured her if there’s anything I can do to assist her.


“I think everybody is shocked, not just members of this House, not just the staff that work here, but I think the widespread the community is also shocked especially when it is such a serious issue.”

Petros Khalesirad. Picture: Chris Ison / The Morning Bulletin

Mr Pyne is facing a fine or potential suspension from State Parliament for his behaviour, which could also prompt a wider security review of the parliamentary precinct.

Speaker Peter Wellington said there was a “prima facie” case that security procedures had been breached by Mr Pyne.

“I take breaches of our security procedures very seriously because of the potential risks posed to members, staff and the public,” he said.

“This matter involves wider issues of policy, including what sanctions are appropriate to be instituted against members for failing to follow security procedures whilst also taking into account the rights of members.”

According to the court documents obtained by The Courier-Mail, Ms Lauga’s neighbours, Jonathan and Shae Joyce, told police Khalesirad approached them as an IT expert to grow their business and made a number of inquiries about Ms Lauga.

“He asked about her daily routine, like when we saw her and if we knew when she was home,” Mrs Joyce said.


“He further asked if we had been inside her house and what it looked like from inside, and how many bedrooms it had.”

Cairns MP Rob Pyne. Picture: Annette Dew

Mrs Joyce said she also thought Khalesirad was “trying to work out what times Brittany was out walking her dog and if she was alone”.

“With all these questions he covered himself by saying things like, I wonder how many bedrooms her house has – it looks so large from the outside. And she keeps so fit walking her dog, I don’t know how she finds the time with her busy schedule,” Mrs Joyce said.

In an affidavit he tendered to the court, Khalesirad said he had no intention of being violent towards Ms Lauga or her family but it was “impossible” to keep 100m away from her as he had customers near her electorate office.

DV Connect chief executive Diane Mangan would not comment directly on the matter but said stalking was extremely serious.

“It is well known that stalking is very dangerous and can escalate into serious harm,” she said.

Khalesirad’s trial has begun in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court and is scheduled to resume in December.


The Courier-Mail unsuccessfully tried to contact Mr Khalesirad yesterday.

Questions asked over $30k developer donation to LNP after controversial apartments approved

The development in Lambert Street at Kangaroo Point. Picture: Darren Cartwright

Tom Snowdon, The Courier-Mail

http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/questions-asked-over-30k-developer-donation-to-lnp-after-controversial-apartments-approved/news-story/ad43dbb3e5e4ef54bf77366434283d19

A DEVELOPER that had a contentious apartment block approved in Brisbane donated $30,000 to the Liberal-National Party during last year’s local election campaign.

Brisbane City Council’s development assessment officer’s approved Pointcorp’s 69-unit Kangaroo Point apartment complex in September, 2015, after earlier raising concerns about the size of the development on the 979sq m site.

Council pointed out issues that included inadequate setbacks from the street, small balconies and a lack of car parks for the 12-storey development. However, a council spokeswoman later told The Courier-Mail the developer had provided expert information to justify the reduced setbacks.

An artist's impression of the Pointcorp "Magnus" development at Kangaroo Point.

The “boutique style” development’s approval was followed by a $30,000 donation to the LNP on February 26, 2016, in the lead up to the March local government elections, according to the Electoral Commission of Queensland website. There were no other donations made to any political parties, according to the website.

The LNP went on to retain Brisbane’s local government, taking 19 of the city’s 26 wards, with LNP Lord Mayor Graham Quirk returning to power.

A council spokesman said: “Donations to political parties have no impact whatsoever on decisions made by council officers and any suggestion to the contrary are strongly rejected.”

Opposition Labor Leader Peter Cumming said he had forwarded the development approval to the State Ombudsman for review after a “detailed analysis by a building designer”.

“We are concerned that within six weeks of substantial breaches of the CityPlan 2014 being pointed out by council’s own development assessment officers, the project was waved through,” Cr Cumming said.

The LNP went on to retain Brisbane’s local government, taking 19 of the city’s 26 wards, with LNP Lord Mayor Graham Quirk returning to power. Picture: David Clark/AAP

“That was enough to convince us to ask the Ombudsman for a review.

“When you factor in the $30,000 donation by developers Pointcorp to the LNP during the council election campaign, we believe there are some serious questions that need to be answered.”

The development, assessed under the State Government’s performance-based Sustainable Planning Act, is one of seven Pointcorp developments around Brisbane.

Billed as “boutique style development”, an advertisement for the Magnus building reads: “With a confidence far deeper than its bricks and mortar, Magnus dominates not just the Kangaroo Point skyline but also the hearts and minds of those fortunate enough to behold it.”

Pointcorp has been contacted for comment.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said he was only made aware of the donation, which was legally made, after The Courier-Mail brought it to his attention this morning. (Tuesday)

“It was drawn to my attention following the media enquiry that Pointcorp were a donor but I don’t know the amount,” Cr Quirk said.