Qld premier dodges Williams questions

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has dodged questions about allegations levelled at first-term MP Rick Williams, only saying she has met with him.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

(AAP) Source: AAP

Queensland's premier would rather avoid talking about serious allegations levelled at one of her rookie backbenchers or the potential fallout for her minority government.

In fact, it's only after sustained opposition questioning in parliament on Wednesday that Annastacia Palaszczuk admitted she had even spoken with Pumicestone MP Rick Williams about the accusations.

"The deputy premier (Jackie Trad) and I, yes we met with the Member for Pumicestone ... I meet with my members on a regular basis," Ms Palaszczuk told parliament.

The Courier-Mail on Wednesday dedicated eight pages to untested allegations against Mr Williams, which included claims he tried to hire someone to have his ex-wife's boyfriend "done over", sexually harassing a teenager and business impropriety.

Before Ms Palaszczuk conceded she met with Mr Williams, she sidestepped questions on when she first heard about the allegations, what she was doing to test the allegations and whether he should still sit on parliament's Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee.

She then failed to elaborate what was actually discussed with Mr Williams.

Ms Palaszczuk continually reiterated that she had seen no solid evidence against Mr Williams.

"If anyone has any evidence, refer it today to the police," the premier said.

Her treasurer, Curtis Pitt, parroted the same lines on Wednesday morning, adding he had "not seen anything that's come to government that in any way says that Mr Williams can't do his job as an MP".

But Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg likened the allegations to those that forced former Labor MP Billy Gordon from the party in March, when the government was criticised for being slow to act.

He's still under police investigation for domestic violence.

"This government in its first 100 days gave us scandals surrounding Member for Cook Billy Gordon and in its second 100 days, it is going to be defined by scandals surrounding the Member for Pumicestone Rick Williams," Mr Springborg said.

He accused the government of compromising its claim to uphold high standards because it was "fixated on its own efforts to cling to power".

Labor has 43 seats in the state's 89-seat parliament, relying on the votes of a now-independent Mr Gordon and independent Speaker Peter Wellington to maintain power.


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Source: AAP


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