LNP preserves state Labor's status

The last sitting week of Queensland Parliament was certainly one of theatrics, tension and drama.

The LNP government's response was not dignified, but it was also a dangerous attack on democracy in Queensland.

By changing the law to prevent parliamentary recognition of Katter's Australian Party, the LNP government created a dangerous precedent. Effectively, Queensland members of parliament are now greatly limited in their ability to build parliamentary groupings or parties as they best see fit to represent their electorates.

It leaves us with the absurd situation where Labor would be protected as the opposition, even if there was a larger non-government party in the chamber. Given the cross benches are the same size as Labor and the further possibility of LNP members leaving, this prospect is not out of the question.

The laws are so draconian that they make it much more difficult for two parties to merge and gain parliamentary recognition. It would be a useful thing for the newly united LNP to ponder this.

The argument presented by the LNP government for this action is that members are elected to represent their party.

This is not how the Westminster system of government works, but considering that all conventions about party leadership were broken prior to the last election, it is not surprising this fact has been overlooked.

Members are not elected to represent a political party. It is a member's right to leave their party if they wish, especially if they feel they can better represent their constituents by doing so.

Members sit in parliament to represent their electorate and, at each election, the public cast judgment on their performance. Voters decide whether actions to change political allegiance should be rewarded or punished. But the Queensland government now thinks it should play judge and jury on a parliamentarian's loyalty to a political banner – specifically that of the LNP which has now lost six sitting members in under three years.

It appears that the LNP is fearful of political dissent and has taken these actions to cap KAP. But there is no doubt that the government also had another target in mind. As LNP members were voting, Clive Palmer's declaration that he was considering launching a new political force was still echoing through the parliamentary precinct. By altering these laws, the LNP government sent a clear message that it will legislate and change the rules to limit opportunities for political opponents.

Queenslanders should be concerned by this and the rushed process undertaken to amend the status of political parties in the parliament.

This action was taken after the Clerk of the Parliament wrote to notify Katter's Australian Party that it had gained recognised status under the law. He also copied in the Premier. Just two hours later the government bypassed the supposedly bi-partisan committee system and used urgency provisions to rush changes to the democratic process in Queensland through parliament.

This is the kind of action one might expect from a regime trying to cling to power in Central America or in some backward African nation. Unfortunately, this has occurred in Queensland and under a government with the largest majority in the state's history. It underlines a government filled more with paranoia than confidence. It also leaves the Premier's comments that he would govern with grace, humility and dignity in tatters.

Former premier, Peter Beattie, showed what governing with grace, humility and dignity means when he approved staff and resources for One Nation in 2003. At the time, they only had two members of parliament. Katter's Australian Party now has three, equal to the representation of the Liberal Party a decade ago.

Peter Beattie also amended legislation to give parliamentary recognition to the Liberal Party. Even before this was passed, he approved resources in the parliamentary precinct. Ten years later this generosity has been forgotten.

The LNP government's actions since the election are clearly discriminatory towards Katter's Australian Party. After the election, its members were the only parliamentarians to have administrative support cut. Their access to basic functions like photocopying and printing was limited. Even the water cooler was placed out of bounds.

It is now the only party that has had its members' offices separated. As punishment, Ray Hopper was moved to an old store room, two levels below the other parliamentary offices. It does not have the same security or privacy afforded other elected representatives. The only barrier between it and the public barbeque area is two glass doors that have been sealed shut with silicone.

These actions are all petty. It is much more serious that the LNP government has rushed through legislation to remove rights from Katter's Australian Party that were afforded under the law. This was a gloomy day for Queensland democracy, made darker by the Labor opposition that also acted supported legislation to shut down an alternative political voice.