At Tuesday’s infrastructure committee, there were three petitions discussed and recommendations voted upon.

Committee chairman Amanda Cooper called out opposition leader Peter Cumming for his “inconsistent” voting as he abstained from one petition, voted in favour of another and voted against the third.

Cr Cumming said he assessed each petition separately as he believed Labor councillors were "trustworthy people" while the LNP recommendations put forward for voting were "suspect".

Cr Cooper questioned Cr Cumming's voting pattern and told him he was paid to make decisions for the people of Brisbane and suggested he should receive a new title, “the abstainer”.

The first petition had 31 signatures and requested a school crossing be installed on Moreton Street, Paddington, with the recommendation, supported by the local LNP councillor Peter Matic, recommending there were enough measures already in place.

Cr Cooper: “All those in favour, all those against?”

Cr Cumming: “I’ll abstain.”

Cr Cooper: “You don’t have to check today. So are you going to abstain on every petition now, is that the deal?”

Cr Cumming: “We’ll make a decision on a case by case basis.”

Cr Cooper: “You said to us last week your position now is to abstain on all of the petitions. You’re being paid to make decisions for the people of Brisbane, good one.”

The second petition discussed by the committee had 18 signatures and requested the council improve pedestrian safety on Stanley Road that runs through Camp Hill and Carina.

The council proposed installing LED road signs in the area to improve the safety and this recommendation was supported by the two councillors whose wards through which the road ran, LNP councillor Ryan Murphy (Doboy) and Labor councillor Kara Cook (Morningside).

Cr Cooper: “Any other comments in respect to the petition, no, alright let's vote on the recommendation. All those in favour, all those against. Unanimous. That’s very exciting you changed your mind."

Cr Cumming: “Yes, I’ve supported it.”

Cr Cooper: "Hang on, so wait wait. So if your councillors support the recommendation then you’ll support the recommendation?”

Cr Cumming: “They’re trustworthy people.”

Cr Cooper: “Then if our councillors support the recommendation then you’ll abstain, is that right?”

Cr Cumming: “They’re suspect.”

Cr Cooper: “So you’re saying basically that you can’t make a decision, generally speaking, you can only make a decision if one of your councillors agrees.”

Cr Cumming: “We can make any decisions we want.”

Cr Cooper: "Oh, so you can can you? You just told me you couldn’t that it was all very suspicious. Very inconsistent there Cr Cumming. I thought you were a leader, not an abstainer. Maybe we should get you a new title, the abstainer."

The third petition had 200 signatures and called for the continuation of a 40km/h speed limit at East Brisbane and a designated pedestrian crossing nearby.

The council did not recommend a school zone or refuge for the site but said it would undertake further investigation to prioritise the location for a signalised crossing facility, the local Greens councillor Jonathan Sri did not support the recommendation.

Cr Cooper: “Any comment with respect to the petition? No? Cr Cumming, are you going to make a decision on this one?”

Cr Cumming: “You’ll find out with the voting.”

Cr Cooper: "You’re going to keep me in suspense, you don’t even want to give us a little hint or suggestion?”

Cr Cumming: “No.”

Cr Cooper: “No comment, no comment at all?”

Cr Steven Huang: “Does he find Cr Sri trustworthy?”

Cr Cooper: “Yes, actually that’s a good question. Do you trust Cr Sri, do you? Is he considered trustworthy?”

Cr Cumming: “More than a liberal (LNP) councillor.”

Cr Cooper: “Considering there is no such thing as a liberal councillor .... nice one. We’re all going to find out if you trust Cr Sri. No pressure. Let’s find out. No other comments in respect to the petition? OK, let’s vote on the recommendation. All those in favour, all those against?”

Cr Cumming voted against the petition.

Cr Cooper: “Against. Well, there you go.”

Cr Cumming: “Can you record that vote please.”

Cr Cooper: "Don’t worry, [we] will be recording everything. Thank you very much. Very brave of you to vote against the petition and now we know that you fully concur with Cr Sri. Interesting position that you have now.”

After the committee meeting, Cr Cumming said he believed Cr Cooper had been trying to be “funny” with her comments made during the meeting.

“You’ve got to take it all in the right manner otherwise someone could have got offended,” he said.

"I think she was trying to be funny."

Cr Cumming said opposition would continue to vote on petitions on a case by case basis.

“We’re not just doing the bidding of the administration we’re thinking about every issue individually and making a decision on a case by case basis,” he said.