Qld: MP under cloud after second legal threat

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2008
Qld: MP under cloud after second legal threat

By Gabrielle Dunlevy

BRISBANE, Dec 12 AAP - A Queensland MP who twice threatened legal action against women
who criticised him has been asked to consider his political future.

Premier Anna Bligh last week made Phil Gray, the ALP member for the gold coast seat
of Gaven, publicly apologise for threatening to sue an elderly lady who allegedly criticised
him at a public meeting.

In the latest case, he reportedly demanded a 63-year-old Labor supporter, who media
reports say is recovering from a recent stroke, pay him $10,000 for "hurt and embarrassment"

over comments she wrote about him in an internal party report.

The threat was withdrawn this week, after media reports of the first case.

ALP state secretary Anthony Chisholm on Friday said Ms Bligh had again spoken to Mr
Gray, and asked him to consider his future in politics.

"She's asked him to have a good hard think about whether he is up to the job of being
a member of parliament - those are things he is going to have to consider," Mr Chisholm
told reporters in Brisbane.

"My understanding is that he has conveyed to me that he has learnt valuable lessons
over the last two couple of weeks in relation to his behaviour, and he assures me we will
not see similar circumstances again."

Mr Chisholm said he was confident Mr Gray would not repeat the "unfortunate" behaviour,
and would opt for internal dispute resolution in future.

Gaven is one of the state's most marginal seats, and Mr Chisholm recognised it would
be difficult for the government to hold at next year's election.

"Phil has a strong track record of delivering for the local community, he's worked
really hard winning the seat back after losing it in the by-election," he said.

"Phil Gray is the best candidate we have for Gaven."

Opposition treasury spokesman Tim Nicholls said the premier had already read the riot
act to Mr Gray and it hadn't worked, so she should now disendorse him.

"Our view is that disendorsement is a very real possibility there," Mr Nicholls told reporters.

"Obviously he's oversensitive to what seems to be very light criticism, this sort of
bullying activity is unnecessary."

Mr Nicholls described Mr Gray's behaviour as "bizarre" and "erratic", but wouldn't
say whether it made the LNP more confident of winning Gaven.

It also reflected poorly on Mr Gray that he only advised the woman of his intention
to drop the legal action after the media reports, Mr Nicholls said.

"He's then left a disabled lady of 63 in the lead-up to Christmas sitting there with
the threat of a $10,000 lawsuit hanging over her, so that's even more malicious," he said.

"If he decided not to proceed, he should have said so straight away, there's no reason
for the delay."

AAP gd/pjo/wf/de

KEYWORD: GRAY WRAP

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