Police Minister Mark Ryan has borrowed words from US presidential candidate Kamala Harris to attack Opposition Leader David Crisafulli over his business dealings.
In a fiery spray during question time today, Ryan echoed Harris’ attack on her opponent Donald Trump to criticise Crisafulli’s previous business management.
Labor has seized on reports that Crisafulli paid $200,000 to settle claims from liquidators who alleged a training company he was a director of may have been trading while insolvent.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli.
“I want to make a particular point, and I’m going to borrow … the words of the next president of the United States to make that point,” Ryan said.
“Before I was elected to Parliament, I was a corporate litigation lawyer representing clients like the Commonwealth of Australia and the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation.
“In that role, I took on dodgy people of all kinds; fraudsters who ripped off consumers, workers and taxpayers; cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain, and dodgy business directors who traded insolvent.
Police Minister Mark Ryan.Credit: Matt Dennien
“So hear me when I say this, speaker, I know the leader of the opposition’s type. I know his type, I know what they do to avoid liability and I know how they do it.”
Crisafulli shook his head during Ryan’s monologue and said he took personal offence to the statement.
The remarks were immediately withdrawn.
The Liberal leader has previously called the claims “desperate”. His office said there had been no finding against him and his settlement payments did not come with any admission of liability.
Source Agencies
