Qld opposition teams up against youth justice minister in fiery question time
Queensland Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber has responded to sustained Labor pressure during question time by accusing former ministers of throwing staplers at staff and locking them in cupboards.
The heated outburst came as Gerber dodged Labor's questions about staff turnover in her office.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles had the first question for Gerber – how many prisoners had escaped on her watch? Her answer: 'Half what it was under Labor this time last year.'
This marked the first in a series of questions aimed at the Gold Coast-based minister.
The most pointed came from Labor backbencher Jonty Bush.
'How many of the minister's staff have been fired, resigned, sent to another office, or requested a transfer since [Gerber] becoming a minister?' the Cooper MP asked.
That prompted a fiery response from a visibly angry Gerber.
'What an absolutely disgraceful question when those opposite have form when it comes to treating staff [badly],' she said.
'Ministers on that side of the house – Labor ministers – locked staff members in cupboards, Mr Speaker, they locked them in cupboards, Mr Speaker.
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