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Qld premier offended by protesters' abuse

Beef Week attendees have heckled Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk over the state government's new land clearing laws.

A shocked Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has taken umbrage at being heckled by farmers at a beef industry function in Rockhampton.

A group of farmers clad in green shirts protested the Labor government's new vegetation management laws by jeering and abusing the premier late Wednesday afternoon.

Despite noting their right to protest, Ms Palaszczuk said that as a woman she was offended and shocked by the hostile welcome to the 2018 Beef Week expo.

"Unfortunately there were a couple of people there that went a step too far," she told reporters on Thursday.

"I don't believe verbal abuse, swearing, is acceptable.

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"I was quite shocked by that. I wouldn't expect that as part of a Queensland that I live in."

Farmers are unhappy about the controversial tree-clearing laws which passed through state parliament late Thursday night.

The Labor government has tightened restrictions on vegetation management after they were relaxed by the previous Liberal National Party government under Campbell Newman.

Ms Palaszczuk denied she was embarrassed by the laws after failing to mention them in her address at the function.

"Not at all, these are laws that my government made a commitment to before the last election," she said.

But the premier indicated an education campaign was required.

"We're going to put out more information because there is a bit of misinformation going out to agriculture sector," she said.

"Most farmers are doing the right thing but what we have seen is some large-scale land clearing happening across our state which are levels that are unsustainable and contribute to climate change."

Former premier Campbell Newman took to Twitter to respond to Ms Palaszczuk's complaints by reminding her of the abuse his family copped.

"This sort of abuse wasn't OK when ALP supporters dished it out to my wife and daughters in 2014 but you remained silent then," he tweeted.

Opponents of the laws had been urged to dress in green to symbolise their protest.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington, dressed in a green blazer, earlier Wednesday entered the expo to loud applause from graziers.

Ms Frecklington vowed on Thursday to continue fighting against the laws on behalf of farming communities.

"We want to give our farming communities certainty so they are never kicked in the guts like this again," she said


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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