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| The butler didn't do it: Rudd takes to Twitter to fend off cushion attack | The butler didn't do it: Rudd takes to Twitter to fend off cushion attack |
| (2 months later) | |
| The Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, has responded to accusations he has a butler by claiming the prime minister has a staffer to carry a cushion around for him. | The Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, has responded to accusations he has a butler by claiming the prime minister has a staffer to carry a cushion around for him. |
| During the first day of Queensland’s estimates hearings Newman was asked about the role of Richard Ang in his office by state Labor MP Bill Bryne, who at the end of the question suggested Ang was a butler. | During the first day of Queensland’s estimates hearings Newman was asked about the role of Richard Ang in his office by state Labor MP Bill Bryne, who at the end of the question suggested Ang was a butler. |
| "On every occasion there has been people there that do such things as make sure formal meetings are set up, the room is ready to go, that tea and coffee and biscuits are provided, that if there is a meal that is being served that it is procured and provided and cleaned up and that is the function of this individual," Newman responded. | "On every occasion there has been people there that do such things as make sure formal meetings are set up, the room is ready to go, that tea and coffee and biscuits are provided, that if there is a meal that is being served that it is procured and provided and cleaned up and that is the function of this individual," Newman responded. |
| "I simply say this is a normal thing that you would see in any office or indeed any business in this nation at a senior level." | "I simply say this is a normal thing that you would see in any office or indeed any business in this nation at a senior level." |
| He added: "When I go to Kevin Rudd's office, I notice that someone carries a cushion around for him. I certainly don't have someone to do that. That seems to be in the nature of a butler.” | He added: "When I go to Kevin Rudd's office, I notice that someone carries a cushion around for him. I certainly don't have someone to do that. That seems to be in the nature of a butler.” |
| Rudd responded by posting a photograph of himself with his orthopaedic lumbar support pillow on Twitter and telling Newman to “get back to the real issues”. | Rudd responded by posting a photograph of himself with his orthopaedic lumbar support pillow on Twitter and telling Newman to “get back to the real issues”. |
| Hi @theqldpremier here is my "butler" Mr McKenzie. I call him Barry. Let's get back to real issues for QLD. KRudd pic.twitter.com/RTz3pJxZjK | Hi @theqldpremier here is my "butler" Mr McKenzie. I call him Barry. Let's get back to real issues for QLD. KRudd pic.twitter.com/RTz3pJxZjK |
| Ang’s official title in Newman’s office is events and protocol adviser and before taking up that post he was Newman’s personal assistant when he was lord mayor. | Ang’s official title in Newman’s office is events and protocol adviser and before taking up that post he was Newman’s personal assistant when he was lord mayor. |
| A former Royal Navy steward, Ang was personal assistant to successive mayors for more than 20 years before Newman asked him to move into the ranks of state government. | A former Royal Navy steward, Ang was personal assistant to successive mayors for more than 20 years before Newman asked him to move into the ranks of state government. |
| His job at the council was to look after official and personal guests and he told the Courier Mail in 2005 he had met Pope John Paul II, the King and Queen of Spain, Prince Charles and then-princess Diana, the Duke and Duchess of York Andrew and Sarah, the Bee Gees, Rolf Harris and former prime ministers Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and John Howard. | His job at the council was to look after official and personal guests and he told the Courier Mail in 2005 he had met Pope John Paul II, the King and Queen of Spain, Prince Charles and then-princess Diana, the Duke and Duchess of York Andrew and Sarah, the Bee Gees, Rolf Harris and former prime ministers Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and John Howard. |
| A spokeswoman for Rudd made light of the comment saying: "I can confirm that [the environment minister] Mark Butler does not carry around the belongings of the prime minister." | A spokeswoman for Rudd made light of the comment saying: "I can confirm that [the environment minister] Mark Butler does not carry around the belongings of the prime minister." |
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