There have been fiery scenes in state parliament with a QLD opposition MP referred to parliament's powerful ethics committee. The shadow health minister has been accused of 'disrespecting' the speaker amid a row with a Labor minister.
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00:00 It began with a heated exchange during yesterday's question time about hospitals on birthing
00:06 bypass.
00:07 If I can get a word in Mr Speaker, can I say that all of those masks...
00:16 Pender Majorabar asks you withdraw a comment.
00:19 I withdraw.
00:20 The Health Minister later expressed her outrage on social media, posting a clip incorrectly
00:25 captioned as "close your legs".
00:28 Under parliamentary rules, she had to correct the record.
00:30 In fact, she yelled at me, "Cross your legs".
00:33 It's still abhorrent, completely insulting.
00:36 But her shadow fired back, writing online the comment was clearly not about the Health
00:41 Minister, it was about the alarming Queensland maternity crisis, telling Parliament this
00:46 morning.
00:47 It was a reference to the absurd notion young mothers were having to hold on whilst in labour
00:52 until they got to another hospital.
00:54 Ms Bates says the Minister's social media posts lacked context and resulted in a wave
00:59 of cyber bullying.
01:00 Worse, I have received vile messages and threats of violence on my phone, my email, my social
01:06 media and to my office.
01:09 As a childhood victim of domestic family violence, these threats have been terrifying.
01:14 I now ask that the incitement of these threats stop and plead with the Health Minister and
01:20 others to take down her misleading and deceitful videos.
01:24 The Member for Mudjabah has made very strong allegations that I have incited threats of
01:29 violence against her.
01:30 I reject that.
01:32 The Speaker asked Ms Bates to withdraw her comment.
01:35 Mr Speaker, I'm a victim and I do not withdraw.
01:38 Her defiance landing her with the powerful Ethics Committee.
01:41 If I was in Ros's shoes and I was the victim, I would do exactly what she did.
01:45 I think it's disgraceful.
01:47 I think the Premier has to hold the Minister to account.
01:50 I think the Minister has acted appropriately at all times.
01:55 It's there for people to see.
01:56 They can make up their own minds.
01:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]