The Newman Government’s 30-year plan, released today, ignores the results of the government’s own public consultation, supposedly used to develop the plan.

“In the consultation, Queenslanders overwhelmingly told the Newman Government not to sell off their assets and to protect the environment,” Australian Greens Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters said.

The Australian Senate has formally chastised Queensland Premier Campbell Newman for his disparaging comments on the legal profession, Australian Greens spokesperson for legal affairs Senator Penny Wright said today.

"Mr Newman's recent comments on lawyers and judges have been ignorant and irresponsible," Senator Wright said.

"He clearly has a very limited understanding about the fundamentals of the law that keep our democracy strong.

"His disdain for the legal profession is alarming and he's backing it up with extreme legislation.

That the Senate:

1.      notes the Queensland Premier has made recent public statements that:

a.       any lawyer acting for a member of a motorcycling gang is part of what he described as a criminal gang machine, and will say and do anything to defend their clients;

b.      members of the legal community, including the judiciary, are living out of touch with society and do not understand what the community wants from the law; and

The Queensland Budget handed down today confirms that Campbell Newman’s Government is determined to make ungrounded financial decisions that will cost people’s jobs and destroy the environment, Australian Greens Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters, said today.

“If Queensland becomes a state where basic services – such as health care, quality education and emergency services – aren’t on offer because the public service has been slashed, it won’t make any difference to people’s lives if the Budget is in surplus or not,” Senator Waters said.