Shadow police minister resigns after copping fine for "driveway catch-up"
A Queensland MP has resigned as shadow police minister after he and two police officers were fined for breaching coronavirus restrictions.
Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts and two off-duty officers were each fined $1,334 for attending a weekend street gathering on Sunday afternoon, in breach of public gathering rules.
LNP Queensland Leader Deb Frecklington said she had accepted Watts’ resignation as the Opposition spokesman for police, counter-terrorism and corrective services.
“I expect the highest standards from my team, especially my Shadow Ministers,” Frecklington said in a statement on Tuesday.
Watts said he had been catching up with his neighbours on their respective driveways and did not think he was in breach of the COVID-19 direction at the time.
“My actions demonstrated a momentary lack of judgement and I regret them deeply,” he said in a statement published by Seven News.
Ninderry MP and former detective Dan Purdie will replace Watts in the shadow ministry role.
Police are looking for 12 other people believed to have attended the same event in the East Toowoomba street.
As of Monday, the Queensland Police Service had issued more than 1,400 infringement notices for breaches.
Image: Trevorwatts.com.au