MP slammed for 'disgraceful' Logan comments

15 Jan 2013, 1:42 pm   -   Source: Rhiannon Elston, SBS

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As racial tension simmers in the Queensland city of Logan, opposition spokesperson for Indigenous health Andrew Laming has come under fire for comments some claim are fueling further community division.

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As racial tension simmers in the Queensland city of Logan, opposition spokesperson for Indigenous health Andrew Laming has come under fire for comments some claim are fueling further community division.

"Mobs tearing up Logan. Did any of them do a day's work today, or was it business as usual and welfare on tap?" the Member for Bowman tweeted on Monday night.

Facing a backlash from Twitter users and the federal government, the apparently unrepentant MP repeated the comment again on the social media site three hours later.

Federal Minister for Trade Craig Emerson took to his own Twitter page to call the comments "disgraceful" and "callous".

"Disgraceful comments by @andrewlamingmp on Logan City, slurring a proud community. We don't need Laming or anyone else pontificating."

He later added: "Isn't he [Laming] Abbott's ParlSec for Indigenous Health? No empathy."

Talks between Aboriginal and Pacific Islander community leaders are expected to continue today in Logan, south of Brisbane, in a bid to settle tensions that erupted between the Aboriginal and Pacific Islander communities at the weekend.

Mr Laming later added a clarification to his earlier comments.

"To clarify: Working together to resolve these riots the priority. Training and a chance for jobs are key," he wrote. 

Andrew Laming , Logan , Rhiannon Elston SBS

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What a shame.

W.C. - from Logan, Brisbane, 4 months ago

I can't believe he has this job position with that attitude, it's obvious he has no concerns at all for these cultures, if he really is meant to be helping these cultures then start off with a positive outlook. Do any of you actually fulfill your job requirements or is it all about earning more $$$'s for unaccomplished tasks. If you don't care, get somebody in this position who does and maybe we'll all see a positive outcome of all of this.

Race Riot?

Luke - from Kingston, 4 months ago

So once again the race card is played....can't the public see that this 'riot' is just two dysfunctional family's who are unable to solve problems in a normal way and have to resort to violence. This wouldn't of even made he news had it been Caucasian family's. Its just a result of generational welfare.....

Not so

Rosie - from Brisbane, 4 months ago

And this is the man who wants to represent Aboriginals in Parliament? Doing damage to property and being unemployed are two separate things. With this one tweet he has classed all people who have ever been unemployed as 'dole-bludgers'. What a snob!

Relocation?

Mark Constable - from Broadbeach, 4 months ago

I don't get it, Andrew Lamming has the guts to say what the majority of folks are thinking and and gets slammed for it yet the govt solution is "relocation" of one of the parties! That is a massive multicultural fail right there and far more "racist" than any comments. Why anyone of any race or creed is allowed into this country without a pre-allocated job is totally beyond me.

Big Al

Big AL - from Monty, Victoria, 4 months ago

The one thing about 240 characters is that the inner self is on display. No space to hide behind verbage. Those 240 characters can undo a whole portfolio of carefully constructed arguments and bring the whole castle crashing down.

Brave New World

Ivan H - from Melbourne, 4 months ago

Why is it today when politicians speak the truth they are immediately criticized. Can we not handle the truth anymore?

Painful Truth

Foster - from Mundaring, 4 months ago

What happened to democracy and free speech in this country? I’m sure the poor performers like Wong would like to see it completely removed, but guess what? A lot of young men and women have died throughout the years to protect those rights, and I like to believe that the radicals like wong and the rest of those in federal government at this time, will never erode them. Keep telling the truth no matter how much it hurts, it’s the only way we will ever change things.

against the tide

jack - from adelaide, 4 months ago

4 comments from the paranoid right: 'UN cloned government', 'thought police', 'do gooders'... Of all these I find 'do gooder' the most absurd insult. What are you people, 'do badders'? I think empathy is the key word here. Nothing comes from nothing: whether it be riots in Logan or the UK. Blaming the people involved may feel good, and morally superior, but it does nothing to understand the underlying causes of such outbreaks of lawlessness. All of you would be the same in anthers shoes.

The Truth

Paul - from Gold Coast, 4 months ago

It amazes me how someone speaking the truth can stir such outrage from the left. If they had a job to go to they may have other priorities than rioting. And Emerson, he didn't slur a community, just the criminals and thugs. Criminals from an Aboriginal background should be the Australian communities problems to solve. Criminals from Samoa and Tonga should be their countries problems. Why cant we deport violent thugs!

Resident of Australia

David Bolan - from Eimeo, 4 months ago

Get a life you mob of whinging do gooders the man was only passing an opinion, this country is going down the socialist path where there appears to be a restriction on free speech.

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