After referring to the meeting of two male MPs and three businesswomen in parliament as a “late night rendezvous,” Annastacia Palaszczuk was charged of “setting women back 100 years.”
On Wednesday night, LNP representatives John-Paul Langbroek and Sam O’Connor showed a party of their supporters around the Queensland Legislature.
When the #TheFabulousGoldie ladies came to @queenslandparliament #LocalMPs, Mr. Langbroek captioned images of the event on Instagram.
Tamika Smith, Brooke Henley-Smith, and Lauren Duitsch were shown in one photo sitting with Mr. Langbroek in front of the Speaker’s chair, as is traditional in Queensland.
However, Premier Palaszczuk’s apparent mockery of the visit left the ladies incensed. He said in parliament on Thursday: “I liked looking at the member’s images he uploaded this morning of his little late-night encounter… on the Speaker’s chair.”
The English translation of the French term rendezvous, which properly means appointment, carries sensuous overtones.
Ms. Smith had been invited to parliament to hear Mr. O’Connor, her representative, speak about the benefit of her home-building business, MyBellaCasa, for Queenslanders fleeing domestic abuse.
She is an advocate for women in the building industry and was named Women of the Year’s “Entrepreneur” in 2021 by the Gold Coast Bulletin.
She had been seen with real estate agent Ms. Henley Smith, who attacked the premier, saying: “You drive women back 100 years with your snarky words, which I am disgusted about.”
The visit was also criticised by David Sharaz, the spouse of former federal Liberal worker Brittany Higgins, who posted a picture of Mr. Langbroek with the statement, “In Queensland, this is how the LNP utilises the Parliament after hours during sitting weeks.”
Later, he said that his remark was unrelated to the ladies in the picture and that he was only bringing attention to the fact that “the chamber and Queensland Parliament is utilised after hours,” adding, “This shouldn’t be occurring.”
In response, Mr. O’Connor sent a number of images from prior trips by other visitors to demonstrate that sitting for photos on the Speaker’s chair is common in Queensland.
It was disgusting stereotyping of the premier this morning to insinuate that I was having, and I quote her, “a late night rendezvous” with relation to my Gold Coast visitors, Mr. Langbroek said in Parliament.
These couples bought me supper at a charity event, which I was happy to support.
Imagine the backlash if I said anything along these lines about the premier having a “late-night rendezvous” or hinted at anything about her beauty.
She made critical, sexist remarks about women on social media that were totally out of place and unseemly.
“The allegation of a late-night meeting is inappropriate, and the lady who occupies the highest position in this state finds it intolerable,” she said.
A representative for the Premier’s office stated: “The Premier’s remarks were about the Member of Parliament’s lack of respect for the Speaker’s chair.
The Premier is shocked that anybody would take what she said to signify anything other than respect for the Chamber. She did not want to offend anyone.
The remarks were made during Question Period.
When a Member expressed concerns, “The Premier removed her statements.”