Qld government accused of gagging frontline organisations from speaking out

Opposition accuses Queensland government of gagging frontline organisations from speaking out In short: Queensland's opposition says frontline community organisations are gagged from speaking out for fear of losing state funding. Premier David Crisafulli denied there have been threats to cut investment in vital services, including for homelessness and child safety. One provider, speaking anonymously to the ABC, said the LNP government was effectively silencing the voices of the vulnerable. Queensland's opposition says it feels like "Trump's America", claiming frontline community organisations are gagged from speaking out for fear of losing state funding. But the premier denied there have been threats to cut investment in vital services, including for homelessness and child safety. One provider, speaking anonymously to the ABC, said the LNP government was effectively silencing the voices of the vulnerable by preventing experts from speaking freely. They said there was a reluctance to speak out, leading to vital issues not being aired. It was claimed funding wasn't being done on its merits but rather was going to those deemed compliant. They said the government's decisions were then made without realising the impact on the frontline. One expert said they were told, "you are a service delivery provider, not an activist". Another anonymous provider said agencies were lying low, for fear of being tarred as agitators. They noted they had been funded under numerous levels of government of different political persuasions, but the current LNP government's reaction was a new and worrying one. The ABC contacted numerous other frontline services, which declined to comment. Shadow housing minister Meaghan Scanlon drew a comparison between the Queensland government and the US administration. "It feels an awful lot like Trump's America. Criticise the government and they'll threaten to cut services' funding," she said. "David Crisafulli made a big thing about integrity and transparency when he was the opposition leader. Well, that's all been thrown out the window, hasn't it?" Premier David Crisafulli denied any of his ministers or team had threatened community organisations if they criticised the government. He claimed record investment had been made "across the board". "With record funding also comes a level of accountability, and I believe in it. "I think it's important taxpayers' money needs to be treated with respect and outcomes need to be delivered. "I think that's what people would expect." 'Glass jaw' Opposition leader Steven Miles claimed numerous frontline organisations had told Labor a similar story for the 18 months of the LNP government. "They are simply too scared to speak out publicly from a government that has threatened them and is determined to silence them," he said. "David Crisafulli is so determined to micromanage the story of each and every day. "He's got such a glass jaw that every piece of criticism is met with this kind of overreaction, this kind of response, and it's got advocates and experts cowering in fear." Deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie said he was not aware of any of the allegations made against the government, also highlighting the high standards of the administration. "When organisations and third parties deliver services on behalf of Queenslanders paid for by Queenslanders, you would expect transparency and accountability and KPIs," he said. "That's what the government is expecting of these organisations. This is not just money that grows on trees. This is Queensland taxpayer funding." Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm also refuted the allegations and said none of them had been put to her.