LABOR MP VISITS HOMES OF TROLLS WHO POST NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT HIM

A Labor MP has been accused of 'thuggery' after admitting he used the electoral roll to track down and visit people who made negative comments about him online.

Barry O'Rourke, the state MP for Rockhampton, Queensland, told a local radio station on Monday that he did this as a 'bit of karma' and said he was a 'fairly big fella'.

Mr O'Rourke said though it could be seen as 'a little bit stupid' to visit these people, he did not like that 'keyboard warriors' could make nasty comments about him anonymously.

'So quite often people put those really negative yucky comments, and then I go to Facebook and I track down who they are,' he said.

'Then I see if they're on the electoral roll and if they are … I love going around to visit.

'And you should see them, they turn into the most placid people and just so nice to your face.'

But James Ashby, the One Nation candidate for the neighbouring electorate of Keppel, slammed Mr O'Rourke's behaviour, which he said he listened to with 'disbelief' on the radio. 

'Here's a member of the Queensland Labor government who finds it funny to access your private information from the electoral roll to then turn up at someone's front door and physically intimidate them because they've said something on social media that he doesn't like,' Mr Ashby told Daily Mail Australia in a statement. 

'This needs to be referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission for a complete investigation, and it must be condemned by the premier (Steven Miles) himself as unacceptable. 

'If this form of Labor thuggery isn't already a crime, it should be.'

Mr O'Rourke was unrepentant when discussing his behaviour in the radio interview, though. 

'I just think a bit of karma, I love it, you know it's probably a little bit stupid of me to do it sometimes. But as I said I'm a fairly big fella,' he said. 

When he was asked if he was trying to intimidate through his actions, he said there was never any excuse for abuse or intimidation, neither face-to-face nor online.

'I'm always willing to listen to the diverse views of the people I represent,' he said.

In a social media statement on Tuesday, Mr O'Rourke confirmed he searches the electoral roll to see if certain social media commenters are from fake accounts or actually from his local area.

'When I see they are a real person, I will often make sure to include their home in the regular doorknocking I have done around town over the past seven years,' he wrote.

'I don't treat them any differently to their neighbours, I don't mention their behaviour on Facebook, I just introduce myself and have a chat.'

Mr O'Rourke said doing this allowed the public to raise their concerns with him in person and that he found people who made rude comments about him online were 'perfectly polite and friendly' when they met him.

'I completely reject the notion that I've ever used "intimidation tactics",' he said.

Under electoral law an MP is allowed to use the information on the electoral roll for purposes relevant to the performance of their duties.

The MP added that the electoral roll, is a publicly accessible document.

'In the old days you'd look up people in the telephone book and this isn't much different. 

'I am happy to defend myself for trying to take conversations offline rather than online,' he said. 

Mr Miles backed his colleague, saying what he had done was a valid use of the electoral roll.

'I doorknock all the time, I visit Queenslanders all the time, it's a key part of my job,' the Premier said.

'It's an entirely appropriate use of the electoral roll.

'I would encourage my MPs whenever they receive feedback positive or negative … to reach out to those members of the community and talk with them.'

Mr Ashby, who is chief of staff to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, said 'it's frightening to know Mr O'Rourke likes to make inappropriate use of the Queensland electoral roll to intimidate people who say something he doesn't like. 

'I'm curious to know what other ways Labor uses the public's personal details contained in the electoral roll.'

Mr O'Rourke is set to retire at the October election.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr O'Rourke and Premier Steven Miles for comment. 

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2024-07-16T03:52:06Z dg43tfdfdgfd