AN angry exchange, which allegedly involved a jug, has potentially landed one man in hot water - but yesterday there was sympathy in Bundaberg from Queensland Premier Anna Bligh.
“Clearly no-one wants to be in a situation like this,” Ms Bligh said.
“This person was in very distressing circumstances.”
Mr McMullen lost $70,000 after he signed up to build a house with Coral Coast Homes and then the company collapsed earlier this year.
The pensioner was charged with a public nuisance offence and obstructing police following the alleged incident at Sunday's community cabinet.
Sporting an injury to his hand, Minister for Public Works Robert Schwarten fronted the media yesterday after a cabinet sitting in the Bundaberg Civic Centre.
When asked about the injury the minister replied: “Better my hand then my head.”
“You don't expect to go to a community cabinet and for that to happen.
“But I'm more concerned for that man.”
Yesterday Mr McMullen was resting at home.
The pensioner said he felt all avenues to getting his money back were exhausted.
“I'm totally exhausted and devastated by the whole thing,” Mr McMullen said.
“I'm on a disability pension and raising a child by myself.
“I'm renting and paying off my mortgage.”
Mr McMullen said that for the first time in his life, he had to take a food voucher so he could feed his family.
“It's good someone is there to help, but I've always given to people - this is the first time I've taken and I'm embarrassed that I had to go.”
During the press conference after the cabinet meeting in Bundaberg, Ms Bligh again addressed the concerns raised by more than a 100 unionists outside the community cabinet on Sunday.
Union members from multiple organisations including Queensland Teachers' Union, the Electrical Trades' Union, and CFMEU expressed outrage about the Bligh government decision to sell off state-owned assets.
The Premier repeated that scrapping the sale meant the government's building program would also have to go.
“We are absolutely determined to protect the building program and the jobs it creates,” she said.
Ms Bligh said she did not like the idea of the sale either.
“But there is really no alternative,” she said.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
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