Two members of Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) were found to be in contempt of Queensland Parliament after holding up a “Condemn Hamas” sign during a pro-Palestine protest.
The incident unfolded in March, when the protesters rallied outside the legislative body.
Member for Traeger Robbie Katter and for Hinchinbrook, Nick Dametto, walked up to the fence of the Parliament and held up the signs.
It reportedly resulted in a backlash from protesters, with one individual grabbing Mr. Dametto’s sign and destroying it.
A report on the MPs’ conduct was tabled in Parliament on June 14, where both were found by an Ethics Committee to have been in contempt for disorderly conduct.
The ethics committee found both MPs had an obligation to behave in a dignified manner in Parliament.
“We have a duty to uphold the highest standards of behaviour and to preserve the dignity of the parliament,” said Ethics Committee Chair Stirling Hinchliffe.
He further stated the MPs “ought to know better” having been long-serving MPs.
Both were recommended to apologise on the floor of the house, but did not receive a suspension.
The committee said a “stronger position” would be taken if the MPs conducted themselves in a similar way again.
Mr. Dametto apologised in Parliament on June 14, while Mr. Katter was absent.
“I take this opportunity to offer my unequivocal apology to the house for any indignity I have caused to the Queensland Parliament as a result of my actions,” Mr. Dametto said.
At the time of the incident in March, Mr. Katter said he had nothing against peaceful protests, but condemned the actions of the group outside.
“We should be allowed to have alternative views on things, but these people are completely intolerant of anyone else having another view from them, and were acting like lunatics out there,” he said.
It’s not the first time Katter’s Australian Party has been entangled with the Committee, but at that time, it was the premier who had to apologise.
In 2019, then-Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was told to apologise after pulling discretionary funds from KAP members Robbie Katter, Shane Knuth, and Nick Dametto, who refused to criticise former Senator Fraser Anning.
Mr. Anning had been widely criticised for using the term “final solution” during his first speech in Parliament.
She apologised to the Parliament.
