During Parliamentary Budget Estimates on Thursday 12 August 2021, I asked about police actions reported in the Legal Observers report by Action Ready on the policing of Land Forces protests in South Brisbane this year.
As you'll see, I didn't get much chance to ask more about the report, but you can read the answers I did get below or in the official Queensland Parliament Record of Proceedings (Hansard).
Mr BERKMAN: I have a question for the commissioner in relation to the Legal observer report: policing of the land forces protests. I have a copy here, but I understand you have been provided a copy of that report; is that correct?
Commissioner Carroll: I have been given a brief of the report, but I do not have the full report.
Mr BERKMAN: You have not read it, but you have been briefed?
Commissioner Carroll: Yes.
Mr BERKMAN: Commissioner, what have been the outcomes of any investigation into the complaints arising from the policing at Land Forces, as highlighted in this report?
Commissioner Carroll: Member, can you just bear with me?
Mr BERKMAN: While that is being considered, I will seek leave to table a copy of this report. I have additional copies.
CHAIR: We will have to deal with the tabling of the report during the break.
Mr BERKMAN: That is no problem at all.
[The line of questioning was interrupted and another MP asked a question. We continued:]
CHAIR: Member for Maiwar, I am not sure where we were at. Are we waiting for something?
Mr BERKMAN: The question I asked that the commissioner was looking for information on was—
CHAIR: Member for Maiwar, unless the question is ready to be answered, I am going to go to government questions and then come back to you once there is an indication that the answer is available.
Commissioner Carroll: Member, the answer is available.
[We were then interrupted again as the Committee turned to "Dorothy Dixers", pre-written Government questions. We returned:]
CHAIR: Before we move on—I am conscious of time—are we able to answer the member for Maiwar’s question?
Mr RYAN: The Commissioner does not have the information at the moment. If we cannot answer it by the end of the day, I am happy to take it on notice and we will come back to you.
[Later in the day, we finally received this response:]
Mr RYAN: Member for Maiwar, I was just going to close off that question from the police session. I am pleased to tell the member for Maiwar that the Queensland Police Service has received the report of the legal observer that outlined generic issues claiming to amount to improper conduct by police at the protest. However, no specific members were capable of being identified as having engaged in conduct that needed to be investigated. However, from the protest there are two separate specific complaints which have been received and these are being investigated, so that should answer the member for Maiwar’s question.