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AAP
AAP
Politics
Savannah Meacham and Fraser Barton

Opposition member admits taking photo of MP's phone

LNP MP Michael Crandon apologised in parliament for secretly taking a photo of a Labor MP's phone. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

A Queensland opposition member says he's sorry for secretly photographing a female MP's phone in parliament.

Michael Crandon on Wednesday admitted he was responsible for taking a picture of Labor MP Ali King's phone in October that showed text messages from Premier Steven Miles.

Mr Miles had told Question Time in February he did not send any texts but apologised to parliament on Tuesday when the picture of Ms King's phone emerged this week.

Coomera LNP MP Mr Crandon on Wednesday confessed to parliament he was the one who took the photo, calling it a "snap decision".

A file photo of Ali King
Assistant Housing Minister Ali King referred the matter to the ethics committee. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

The photo has been referred to the ethics committee by Assistant Housing Minister Ms King, who called the behaviour "creepy".

"I unreservedly apologise to the Member for Pumicestone for the invasion of the member's privacy," Mr Crandon told parliament on Wednesday.

"I unreservedly apologise to the house for my indiscretion."

Mr Crandon said he had reflected on his actions and quoted a Bible verse to the house about temptation.

The contents of the texts called on Ms King to address accusations she told constituents to send Queensland Health job applications through her electorate email address.

After a photo of the texts was broadcast by the Nine Network, Mr Miles apologised for misleading parliament.

"The text message was from six months prior and I did not recall it at the time," Mr Miles said on Tuesday.

"I therefore wish to correct the record and apologise for the error."

Ms King said on Tuesday she was appalled the photo had been taken of her phone, claiming the person responsible had invaded her privacy.

"Not once did I expect even a member of the LNP to leer over my shoulder and take nonconsensual photographs, then spread them around as click bait," she said.

Steven Miles
Premier Steven Miles was forced to apologise to parliament after the text messages came to light. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

The drama unfolded in parliament on Wednesday before a raft of significant laws were passed.

Queensland became only the second jurisdiction in Australia to criminalise coercive control while an affirmative model of consent was passed.

Queensland courts will be able to consider relevant domestic violence or criminal history in their decisions under the legislative reforms. 

Courts will have more power to respond to protection applications and award costs to prevent perpetrators from using the legal process to further abuse victims.

Under new legislation, domestic violence complainants and other witnesses will be under the protected witness scheme and courts will be allowed to give directions to juries and hear expert witnesses on DV.

Double jeopardy laws have been expanded, allowing people to be retried for another 10 offences such as manslaughter and rape.

The laws clarify the definition of fresh and compelling evidence that would apply to a double jeopardy retrial.

The double jeopardy defence in Queensland previously prevented a person being tried or punished twice for the same offence unless the charge was murder. 

Evidence will be defined as fresh if it was not presented in trial or could not have been presented to trial through reasonable efforts by police and prosecution.

The government also announced almost $42 million over five years would be allocated to a termination of pregnancy plan on Wednesday.

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