QUEENSLAND’S fledgling Labor Government has been thrown into crisis amid allegations an MP abused a former partner and “acted like an animal” during their relationship. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was last night forced to refer Member for Cook Billy Gordon to police over the allegations which were received by her office more than a week ago.
The abuse allegations are contained in a 10-page statement by Mr Gordon’s former partner and a letter purportedly written by the MP to the woman in 2006 after their relationship ended.
A police investigation is a nightmare scenario for the minority Palaszczuk Government, which is clinging to power by a single seat.
In a letter to Police Commissioner Ian Stewart, Ms Palaszczuk said she had immediately forwarded the woman’s allegations to Labor state secretary Evan Moorhead on March 18 and he had encouraged her to make a complaint to police.
“Since that time, details of the allegations have been made public,’’ she said.
“In light of this fact, I feel it is now incumbent on me to refer the matters to the Queensland Police Service for its consideration and investigation of the allegations as appropriate.”
The statement sent to Ms Palaszczuk, which The Courier-Mail has obtained, includes a letter purportedly by Mr Gordon to the woman in which he admits to a history of abuse and controlling behaviour amid pleas for forgiveness.
The letter, which quotes Bible references, includes the writer confessing to a battle with depression during their relationship as he came to terms with the abuse he had suffered.
“I’ve treated you bad and hurt you deep, I’ve acted like an animal,’’ he states.
“The Bible says pride comes before a crash and that’s certainly what happened to me. I hit rock bottom really hard.”
The writer also apologises for putting his partner through years of “hell”.
“I hope in time you can forgive me for the abuse,’’ it states.
“There can never be an excuse for me being abusive to you.”
In her 10-page statement, the MP’s former partner claims she is still receiving abusive text messages from him.
“I do not feel I can move on and live a normal life until some sort of justice is given or the issue is resolved and (Mr Gordon) accepts full responsibility to me and the children for all the years of abuse I have suffered and endured at his hands,’’ she writes.
The loss of a single MP risks the new Labor administration being thrown from office just weeks after it assumed control.
The crisis comes after The Courier-Mail revealed yesterday that Mr Gordon was forced by Labor to pay thousands of dollars in unpaid child support for two of his children and complete years of tax returns.
“I have moved to immediately rectify my tax affairs and I have also ensured that any outstanding child support payments have been made to my ex-partner so that I can put this issue beyond doubt,’’ he told Parliament.
Ms Palaszczuk said she was “furious” when she discovered the allegations about unpaid child support.
“The Deputy Premier and I have met with the Member for Cook and I have said to the Member for Cook that I am extremely disappointed,’’ she said.
Mr Gordon did not respond to calls from The-Courier Mail about the abuse allegations
