FED: Premier dismisses claims spitter is a Queenslander

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-2004
FED: Premier dismisses claims spitter is a Queenslander

Queensland Premier PETER BEATTIE has jokingly dismissed claims the man captured by
TV cameras last week spitting at Richmond AFL coach DANNY FRAWLEY is a Queenslander.

Victoria police believe the man's part of a group of six or seven people that travelled
from Queensland to the MCG for last Friday's match between Richmond and Adelaide.

Police Superintendent NICK WILLIAMS says the man faces a charge of offensive behaviour
and a fine of $1,000 or two months in jail.

But Mr BEATTIE says the offender's clearly not a Queenslander, but simply masquerading as one.

He says a lot of Victorians pretend they're Queenslanders because there are only two
types of people in the world: Queenslanders and people who want to be Queenslanders.

The Premier says the man could have simply been pretending to be a Queenslander to
raise his profile and his stature.

Mr BEATTIE says he doesn't think Queenslanders would behave in such an uncouth manner.

But he says, if it turns out to be true, then he should be ashamed of himself.

AAP RTV as/gjr

KEYWORD: SPIT (BRISBANE)

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