Gottfried Waldhäusl

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Gottfried Waldhäusl (2013)

Gottfried Waldhäusl (born October 3, 1965 in Waidhofen an der Thaya ) is an Austrian farmer , politician ( FPÖ ) and since March 22, 2018 regional councilor in the Lower Austrian regional government Mikl-Leitner II . He is responsible for the animal welfare department , community doctors, asylum and minimum income . From 1995 to 1998 he was a member of the Federal Council and from 1998 a member of the Lower Austrian state parliament , where he also served as club chairman of the FPÖ from 2008 to 2018 .

Life

After primary school, Waldhäusl attended a federal high school for five years and then graduated from the Edelhof agricultural college . Then he worked as a farmer and entrepreneur. In 1985 he took over his parents' farm.

politics

From 1990 onwards, Waldhäusl became politically committed to the FPÖ as a councilor in Pfaffenschlag , where he temporarily held the office of executive councilor. In 1994 he was elected district party chairman and in 1995 he was elected chairman of the free peasantry of Lower Austria. He was also a member of the Chamber of Agriculture from 1995 to 2005, and on July 6, 2003 he took over the post of Deputy Party Chairman. In addition, from October 2003 to 2008 he held the position of provincial chairman of the Lower Austrian association of community representatives. Waldhäusl was a member of the Federal Council from April 26, 1995 to April 15, 1998 and was a member of the Lower Austrian state parliament from April 16, 1998. In 2005 he took over the office of parliamentary group chairman and from 2008 he was the FPÖ club chairman in the state parliament.

Since the top candidate Udo Landbauer resigned after the state elections in Lower Austria in 2018 , Waldhäusl has been a state councilor in the Mikl-Leitner II state government since March 22, 2018, with the departments of animal welfare, community doctors, asylum and minimum income due to the proportional system . Martin Huber succeeded him as club chairman . Waldhäusl lives in Waidhofen an der Thaya and is the father of three children.

Controversy

Gottfried Waldhäusl attracted attention several times in the past due to his hearty choice of words. In 2004, Waldhäusl called the long-time Governor of Lower Austria Erwin Pröll (1992 to 2017) a dictator (“The dictator rises from his chair”) in a session of the state parliament . In 2011, during a session of the state parliament, he criticized the family policy of the ÖVP due to cuts in family benefits, but there was money for “ fagots ”.

At a press conference in autumn 2014, Waldhäusl spoke out against the integration of asylum seekers . He called it "idiotic" knowing that they would be gone soon. He also called for children of asylum seekers not to be sent to kindergartens and schools, as they do not speak German and therefore prevent other children from learning. With regard to the Lower Austrian municipality of Heidenreichstein , he said that residents' children would be on the waiting list for the kindergarten because asylum seekers would attend it. This was denied by the mayor and school councilor.

At the end of April 2018, Waldhäusl described the basic services for asylum seekers as a “mess” that had to be cleaned up. Against this background, he called for 405 “illegals” to be relocated from vacant accommodation to full supply quarters by the following day, which the press referred to as regional assembly quarters .

Another controversy, which also made waves beyond the borders of Lower Austria, started Waldhäusl in July 2018 when he suggested that slaughter in Lower Austria should only be allowed if there is evidence of residence in this state. He justified his demand with animal welfare and with the fact that it was not clear "why Viennese go to Lower Austria and have thousands of animals slaughtered here". Oskar Deutsch , President of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde (IKG), criticized this request as, in his opinion, incompatible with data protection. He also spoke of a “negative Aryan paragraph ” and felt “almost reminded of the Nazi era”. The Islamic Faith Community (IGGÖ) also criticized Waldhäusl's project. Waldhäusl said that this project had already been planned under his SPÖ predecessor Maurice Androsch - he was only implementing it. In an information letter to slaughterhouses, the latter had requested a list of members, a registration slip or documents from which the religious affiliation was unequivocally established. Androsch explained that with his information letter he only wanted to regulate the general requirements for people who wanted to slaughter. Provincial Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner said there would be no registrations in Lower Austria "definitely". It does not matter whether this initiative comes from an SPÖ or an FPÖ regional council. You expect a "factual discussion and no ignition". On July 20, 2018, the Austrian federal government , above all Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Chancellery Minister Gernot Blümel (both ÖVP ), spoke up . Kurz and Blümel criticized Waldhäusl's plans and said that there would certainly be no such registrations. This rejected the criticism. On July 27, 2018, Mikl-Leitner and Waldhäusl announced that they had agreed on a new regulation. This prohibits registrations.

In September 2018, Waldhäusl announced stricter controls for asylum shelters in a letter to Caritas and Diakonie . Accommodation providers of asylum seekers were requested to report any absence of asylum seekers that exceeded three days per month, with absence in the accommodation during the day being considered an absence. A corresponding guideline has existed since 2007. The measure was criticized by various NGOs as legally untenable.

Drasenhofen refugee quarter

At the end of November 2018, Waldhäusl came into negative headlines and criticism, because a refugee quarter for “underage refugees who have become suspicious” was to be built in Drasenhofen , near the Czech border. Above all, it was criticized - by SPÖ , NEOS , JETZT , the Greens , Caritas and numerous NGOs - that the refugees were locked up and the building was fenced off with barbed wire. The local mayor Reinhard Künzl (ÖVP) even described the asylum area as a “shame for Austria”. Waldhäusl rejected the criticism: the refugee quarter was not a prison. On November 30, 2018, the Governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner ( ÖVP ) , finally spoke up - she said that a barbed wire had "lost nothing". That same evening, the refugees were moved to another quarter, to St. Gabriel ( Maria Enzersdorf ). The Drasenhofen asylum area was then closed. The Lower Austrian child and youth advocate, which examined this case - and also took a picture of it on site, in Drasenhofen - stated in a report dated December 3, 2018 that the prevailing conditions there “gave the appearance of being deprived of liberty” . There is an "acute need for action". On December 3, 2018, the Viennese lawyer Georg Zanger filed a criminal complaint against Waldhäusl for imprisonment and abuse of office , since Waldhäusl, as the competent regional councilor, was responsible and had made decisions. Numerous youth organizations demonstrated against Waldhäusl on December 4, 2018 in front of the Lower Austrian country house in St. Pölten , and he was asked to resign from the SPÖ and NEOS. On December 4, 2018, Governor Mikl-Leitner threatened him, initially via Facebook, with deprivation of his department if Waldhäusl “did not fulfill his responsibilities as a member of the government”. Finally, at the meeting of the Lower Austrian provincial government, it was agreed to give Waldhäusl a “last chance”, he would remain responsible for the asylum system. On the same evening Waldhäusl drove to the new refugee accommodation of the St. Gabriel Mission House in Maria Enzersdorf and held talks there with those responsible at Caritas , in particular with its Secretary General Klaus Schwertner . In an interview with ORF Niederösterreich , the Austrian political advisor Thomas Hofer said that Waldhäusl “wanted to provoke”. He was skeptical that Waldhäusl would ensure a "scandal-free time" in the future. Greens - state spokeswoman Helga Krismer - in order to clarify the political responsibility for the asylum area Drasenhofen - called for a parliamentary committee of inquiry in the Lower Austrian state parliament . Despite support from Neos, she did not bring this in because it was to be expected that the SPÖ would vote against it. On December 8, 2018, NEOS brought a statement of facts against Waldhäusl and the company National Security Austria (NSA), which he engaged in refugee care . Party leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger identified a “culture of self-service in the FPÖ” and demanded “finally clear words from the ÖVP under Sebastian Kurz”. It is "no longer acceptable" that it "watches the FPÖ at the federal and state level over and over again as it tries to trample the constitutional state underfoot". On December 11, 2018, it became known that the Lower Austria State Audit Office should investigate the controversial processes surrounding the Drasenhofen asylum area. On the other hand, the initiative of the Greens (committee of inquiry in the state parliament) was rejected because there was no majority. On December 12, 2018, it became known that the FPÖ Lower Austria would apply for the Drasenhofen audit office and would not agree to the joint request of the other parties. In the application drawn up by the SPÖ, “a prejudice takes place”. On December 13, 2018, Waldhäusl was again asked to resign from the SPÖ and NEOS. The reason was Waldhäusl's formulation that asylum seekers needed “ special treatment ”. This was understood as jargon from the Nazi era , when the term was used as a cover for the murder of people. Governor Mikl-Leitner emphasized that she did not want to take part in any “debate on terms”. It is more important to her that the agreements with Waldhäusl are kept.

According to a “profil” report, the controversial security measures came directly from the FPÖ regional council. Waldhäusl demanded, among other things, the guard by a dog, a camera at the entrance and a fence made of barbed wire, "so that it cannot be climbed over".

In the end, Caritas Secretary General Klaus Schwertner Waldhäusl criticized that there was no adequate “educational support” in St. Gabriel. Waldhäusl then asked for a "companion" for refugees. For December 2018, Caritas provided the state with the cost statement for the care of the ten to sixteen unaccompanied minor refugees (depending on the presentation) in St. Gabriel in the amount of 100,000 euros. Waldhäusl reacted indignantly and had the refugees moved to cheaper quarters.

In March 2019, the Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office issued an order to the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) to investigate Waldhäusl and a state official for abuse of office by deprivation of liberty.

Waldhäusl now GmbH & Co. KG

In mid-December 2018, Waldhäusl recently came under fire. It was about a company "Waldhäusl now GmbH & Co. KG" in Krems an der Donau with connections to Cyprus . NEOS suspected that Waldhäusl could earn money through this "company" - in addition to his politician salary.

Awards

Web links

Commons : Gottfried Waldhäusl  - Collection of Images

Individual evidence

  1. ^ FPÖ Regional Council: Landbauer or Waldhäusl? - noe.ORF.at. Retrieved February 1, 2018 .
  2. ^ FPÖ Regional Council: Waldhäusl is available - noe.ORF.at. Retrieved February 1, 2018 .
  3. ↑ FPÖ: Waldhäusl is apparently a state councilor - noe.ORF.at. Retrieved February 1, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Waldhäusl becomes regional councilor instead of farmer - noe.ORF.at. Retrieved February 1, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Politicians for more than 25 years: Gottfried Waldhäusl - noe.ORF.at. Retrieved February 1, 2018 .
  6. ↑ orf.at: ÖVP, SPÖ and FPÖ agree on departments . Article dated March 8, 2018, accessed March 9, 2018.
  7. ↑ Gottfreid Waldhäusl - State of Lower Austria. Retrieved March 23, 2018 .
  8. ^ Waldhäusl: Provincial Council against will in portrait. In: Courier. February 1, 2018, accessed February 1, 2018 .
  9. ↑ Gottfried Waldhäusl: An agitator for the government. In: The press. January 30, 2018, accessed February 1, 2018 .
  10. ↑ Gottfried Waldhäusl: An agitator who now has to tame himself. In: The Standard. January 30, 2018, accessed February 1, 2018 .
  11. ↑ Kirchmaier and Christoph: “This FPÖ claim is wrong!” Meinviertel.at, October 14, 2014, accessed on January 29, 2018 .
  12. ^ FP Provincial Councilor Waldhäusl is under criticism. Retrieved May 4, 2018 .
  13. ↑ Schächten: Waldhäusl wants stricter rules . July 17, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed July 18, 2018]).
  14. ↑ Ralf Leonhard: Kosher meat only after registration: methods almost like the Nazi era . In: The daily newspaper: taz . July 18, 2018, ISSN  0931-9085 ( taz.de [accessed July 18, 2018]).
  15. ↑ New plans for shafts came from the SPÖ. July 18, 2018, accessed December 14, 2018 .
  16. ↑ Outrage over the planned guideline on shafts , Die Zeit, July 18, 2018
  17. ↑ Schächten: Violent discussion broke out . July 18, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed July 18, 2018]).
  18. ↑ Political squabbles about Lower Austria plans for shafts . In: news.ORF.at . July 18, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed July 18, 2018]).
  19. ^ Schächten: Waldhäusl rejects criticism . July 20, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed July 29, 2018]).
  20. ↑ New regulation for manholes in Lower Austria . July 27, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed July 29, 2018]).
  21. ^ Debate about curfew for asylum seekers in Lower Austria , ORF, September 14, 2018
  22. ↑ "Conspicuous refugees" move to Drasenhofen . November 28, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed December 3, 2018]).
  23. ^ "Penal camp": New asylum accommodation is controversial . November 29, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed December 3, 2018]).
  24. ↑ Criticism of the Drasenhofen asylum area does not stop. November 30, 2018, accessed December 4, 2018 .
  25. ↑ Criticism of the Drasenhofen asylum area does not stop . November 30, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed December 3, 2018]).
  26. ↑ "Not suitable": Refugees are being relocated . November 30, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed December 3, 2018]).
  27. ↑ Controversial asylum area closed . December 1, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed December 3, 2018]).
  28. ↑ Drasenhofen: "Appearance of deprivation of liberty" . December 3, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed December 3, 2018]).
  29. ^ Asylum: "Last chance" for Waldhäusl. December 4, 2018, accessed December 4, 2018 .
  30. ↑ Criminal charges filed against Waldhäusl . December 3, 2018 ( orf.at [accessed December 3, 2018]).
  31. ↑ Mikl-Leitner gives Waldhäusl ultimatum. December 4, 2018, accessed December 4, 2018 .
  32. ^ Asylum: "Last chance" for Waldhäusl. December 4, 2018, accessed December 4, 2018 .
  33. ↑ Asylum: Waldhäusl held talks in St. Gabriel. December 4, 2018, accessed December 5, 2018 .
  34. ↑ Hofer: Waldhäusl's "Lust for Provocation". December 4, 2018, accessed December 5, 2018 .
  35. ↑ Greens want U Committee to Drasenhofen. December 5, 2018, accessed December 6, 2018 .
  36. ^ Salzburger Nachrichten: Lower Austria: Greens do not apply for a U-Committee to Drasenhofen. December 11, 2018, accessed December 14, 2018 .
  37. ↑ ORF at / agencies red: NEOS brings a presentation of the facts against Waldhäusl. December 8, 2018, accessed December 9, 2018 .
  38. ↑ State Audit Office to examine the Drasenhofen case. December 11, 2018, accessed December 12, 2018 .
  39. ↑ FPÖ applies for a separate Drasenhofen examination. December 12, 2018, accessed December 12, 2018 .
  40. ↑ Excitement over "special treatment" sayers. December 13, 2018, accessed December 13, 2018 .
  41. ↑ news.ORF.at. Retrieved December 15, 2018 .
  42. ^ Asylum: Debate between Caritas and Waldhäusl. January 10, 2019, accessed January 20, 2019 .
  43. ↑ Waldhäusl calls for "companions" for refugees. January 12, 2019, accessed January 20, 2019 .
  44. ↑ Young refugees are being moved from St. Gabriel to other quarters. In: diepresse.at. January 31, 2019, accessed February 12, 2019 .
  45. ↑ Bernt Koschuh: Drasenhofen: Investigations against Waldhäusl. ORF Lower Austria, March 19, 2019, accessed on March 19, 2019 .
  46. ↑ ORF at / agencies red: Waldhäusl because of Waldhäusl now GmbH & Co KG under criticism. December 12, 2018, accessed December 13, 2018 .
  47. ↑ DerStandard: What Gottfried Waldhäusl is allowed to do as regional councilor - and what not (January 8, 2019)
  48. ↑ Waldhäusl: Asylum accommodation "well managed". January 19, 2019, accessed January 20, 2019 .
  49. ^ Dispute between Waldhäusl and the Ombudsman Board. January 18, 2019, accessed January 20, 2019 .
  50. ^ ORF at / agencies red: Lower Austria: Again excitement about Waldhäusl. January 18, 2019, accessed January 20, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Waldhäusl, Gottfried
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian politician (FPÖ), member of the Landtag, member of the Bundesrat, Landesrat
DATE OF BIRTH October 3, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH Waidhofen an der Thaya