Politics · Australia · 5 hrs ago
Queensland Speaker’s plea fails to quiet parliament
Queensland Speaker Pat Weir asked the state’s 93 MPs to treat one another with more respect as parliament resumed this week.
He warned that personal attacks, inflammatory language and false claims were becoming more common.
MPs soon returned to shouting and partisan insults during Question Time, including ministers directing jibes at the Opposition Leader.
Weir did not intervene in those exchanges and later said he hoped conduct would improve.
Former Labor speaker John Mickel said the government had deliberately undermined Weir and argued that the Speaker should use his powers to enforce standards.
The dispute comes amid concerns about aggression in parliament, including a Greens MP seeking counselling and other crossbench MPs describing distress after an independent MP cried openly before his death.
The immediate challenge is whether Weir will act to improve the tone of debate; no further steps were specified.
Queensland Speaker Pat Weir’s appeal for MPs to respect each other was followed by a rowdy Question Time in which MPs shouted across the chamber.
Weir said he hoped parliamentary conduct would improve, but admitted after Question Time that his appeal had been ignored.
Former Labor Speaker John Mickel said the government had deliberately undermined Weir and that he should use his powers to enforce better conduct.
The dispute comes amid concerns about aggression and hostility in the parliamentary workplace.
Greens MP Michael Berkman said he had sought counselling, while two crossbench MPs described distress at seeing an under-pressure independent MP crying in parliament before his death.
- Who
- Queensland Speaker Pat Weir, Queensland MPs and former Speaker John Mickel.
- What
- Weir appealed for MPs to respect each other, but rowdy behaviour continued. Mickel said Weir should enforce better conduct.
- When
- This week, during the week of 30 October 2026. Parliament resumed Tuesday.
- Where
- Queensland Parliament.
- Why
- Weir said personal vitriol and inflammatory language were overtaking common decency.
Pat Weir
John Mickel
Responsibility for the continued conduct
Pat Weir
Weir said the speeches and strategy behind the behaviour may have been worked out before his address.
John Mickel
Mickel said the government deliberately set out to undermine the Speaker.
How to improve conduct
Pat Weir
Weir said he hoped parliamentary conduct would improve.
John Mickel
Mickel said Weir should use his powers to intervene and enforce a better tone.
Queensland Parliament resumed and Speaker Pat Weir appealed to MPs to improve the tone of debate.
During Question Time, MPs shouted interjections and ministers made taunts at the Opposition Leader.
Weir said in an interview with 612 ABC Brisbane that he hoped conduct would improve.
Michael Berkman said he had sought counselling over parliamentary aggression and hostility, and two crossbench MPs described distress at seeing an under-pressure independent MP crying in parliament before his death.
- Queensland MPs
- 93
- Speaker
- Pat Weir
- Parliament resumed
- Tuesday
- Former Speaker
- John Mickel
- Radio station
- 612 ABC Brisbane
- Green MP
- Michael Berkman
What people are saying
It is time to reset
Yeah, well … let's hope it all improves tomorrow because no doubt those speeches and all that strategy was worked out this morning before I gave my address.
That's bulls**t
What happened was the executive arm of government set out to undermine the Speaker. It was deliberate.