Qld: Man charged after allegedly throwing water at minister

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2009
Qld: Man charged after allegedly throwing water at minister

Eds: Includes details of charges laid against protester



By Jessica Marszalek

BUNDABERG, Aug 30 AAP - Police have charged a man who threw water at a Queensland government
minister and was ejected from a community cabinet meeting in Bundaberg amid an angry residents'
protest.

About 300 protesters, irate over plans to sell off government assets and low teachers'
pay, chanted and held up signs as Premier Anna Bligh and her cabinet colleagues arrived
at the meeting at Bundaberg North State High School on Sunday.

Inside, a man used the public forum to criticise the Building Services Authority (BSA)
for not helping him after he lost "everything" to a dodgy builder who promised to build
his house.

"I voted for you. I'm sorry I did," he told Ms Bligh.

Afterwards, he met with Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten to discuss the matter one-on-one.

However, the man was escorted outside by police after he threw a jug of water at the
minister and then tried to hit him with it.

Mr Schwarten put his hands out to defend himself as police officers pulled the man
away. The man lost his shoes in the scuffle.

Mr Schwarten is not pressing charges and said he felt sorry for the man who was not
covered under the BSA's powers due to the nature of the fraud.

It's understood the man paid upfront for a kit home but did not sign the appropriate
contract that would have afforded him insurance under the BSA.

The 48-year-old man was charged with public nuisance and obstructing police and will
face the Bundaberg Magistrates' Court on September 18, a police spokesman said.

Earlier on Sunday, Ms Bligh tried to defuse the situation outside the cabinet meeting
by inviting representatives inside to discuss their concerns at the public forum.

The protesters manned the entrance to the school to voice their objections to the planned
sale of government assets such as Queensland Rail's coal haulage business, Queensland
Motorways, the Port of Brisbane and Forestry Queensland.

A group of unionists also chanted that Queensland teachers were the lowest paid in
the country and called on the premier to negotiate their wages.

Ms Bligh addressed the protesters inside the meeting, telling those gathered she knew
there was a "rocky road ahead" when it came to the assets sales and she understood why
people did not like the idea.

"I don't like it," she said.

"I wish there wasn't a global economic crisis ... I wish there weren't people losing their jobs."

But, she said, difficult decisions were needed to keep the government building program
funded and on track to create jobs for Queenslanders.

"Even with some sale, in the next three years you will own more than you do now because
of our building program," she told attendees.

Sunday's community cabinet, which gives residents outside of Brisbane the chance to
meet one-on-one with government ministers and senior departmental officers, attracted
the largest number of registered attendees.

AAP jmm/dark/it

KEYWORD: BLIGH 2ND WRAP (WITH PIX)

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