'Not as heavy as you': Deputy Premier accused of fat shaming
Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has been accused of fat-shaming a member of the Opposition in a fiery exchange in parliament.
Ms Trad, also the minister for infrastructure, took a swipe at Liberal National Party MP Andrew Powell during a spiteful estimates hearing on Wednesday.
When asking about who would be allowed to apply for work in constructing a new $5 billion cross-river railway, Mr Powell suggested “Union heavy Shane Cumming” had “walked in a Queensland Rail job”.
“Not as heavy as you,” Ms Trad quipped under her breath.
The Deputy Premier revealed just 28 of 200 drivers needed to fix Queensland Rail have been trained.
It followed Ms Trad fielding a number of questions about the project, which went under the microscope.
The Deputy Premier rubbished suggestions from the LNP’s Deb Frecklington that the ALP “cooked the books” to get the project underway.
“This is quite an offensive comment and unparliamentary and I ask that it is withdrawn,” Ms Trad said.
External applicants will be allowed to apply for work on the railway next month.
