❓ Premier Gallop responds to One Nation's call to ban protests at Parliament House, defending the right to protest while condemning harassment and questioning One Nation's commitment to democracy. He also deflects by questioning the Liberal Party's relationship with One Nation.
AnsweredQoN 81Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PROTESTS AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE, ONE NATION CALL FOR BAN
What is the Premier’s response to calls by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson for protesters to be banned from the front steps of Parliament House? Dr GALLOP
What is the Premier’s response to calls by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson for protesters to be banned from the front steps of Parliament House? Dr GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
I am intrigued by those comments, because Pauline Hanson would be well aware, as a former member of the federal Parliament, that what happens within the Parliament and the parliamentary precincts is a matter for the Presiding Officers. I know that they jealously guard that responsibility, and so they should. Having said that, we live in a democracy, and Western Australia has a great tradition in which people who wish to protest - and we had protests today about the live sheep trade and other issues in our southern suburbs - come to the steps of this Parliament. It is important that we emphasise again that our Parliament is part of our community, and people have a right to protest on the steps of the Parliament. If any One Nation member was physically abused last night, I would deplore that; that is not on. There is no doubt that people have a right to come to the Parliament to protest. However, that is a right to disagree with people. It is not a right to harass people when they are conducting their duties, in this case as members of Parliament. Physical abuse is an assault, and if any One Nation member was assaulted last night, I would not condone that and would expect the police to take action on that matter. However, to call for a ban on protests at the steps of the Parliament is an overreaction, and it raises a question about the credentials of One Nation on this matter. Does One Nation really support a democracy, or would it be more comfortable living under a regime in which people cannot protest on the front steps of the Parliament? Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
Dr GALLOP replied: I am intrigued by those comments, because Pauline Hanson would be well aware, as a former member of the federal Parliament, that what happens within the Parliament and the parliamentary precincts is a matter for the Presiding Officers. I know that they jealously guard that responsibility, and so they should. Having said that, we live in a democracy, and Western Australia has a great tradition in which people who wish to protest - and we had protests today about the live sheep trade and other issues in our southern suburbs - come to the steps of this Parliament. It is important that we emphasise again that our Parliament is part of our community, and people have a right to protest on the steps of the Parliament. If any One Nation member was physically abused last night, I would deplore that; that is not on. There is no doubt that people have a right to come to the Parliament to protest. However, that is a right to disagree with people. It is not a right to harass people when they are conducting their duties, in this case as members of Parliament. Physical abuse is an assault, and if any One Nation member was assaulted last night, I would not condone that and would expect the police to take action on that matter. However, to call for a ban on protests at the steps of the Parliament is an overreaction, and it raises a question about the credentials of One Nation on this matter. Does One Nation really support a democracy, or would it be more comfortable living under a regime in which people cannot protest on the front steps of the Parliament? Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
I am intrigued by those comments, because Pauline Hanson would be well aware, as a former member of the federal Parliament, that what happens within the Parliament and the parliamentary precincts is a matter for the Presiding Officers. I know that they jealously guard that responsibility, and so they should. Having said that, we live in a democracy, and Western Australia has a great tradition in which people who wish to protest - and we had protests today about the live sheep trade and other issues in our southern suburbs - come to the steps of this Parliament. It is important that we emphasise again that our Parliament is part of our community, and people have a right to protest on the steps of the Parliament. If any One Nation member was physically abused last night, I would deplore that; that is not on. There is no doubt that people have a right to come to the Parliament to protest. However, that is a right to disagree with people. It is not a right to harass people when they are conducting their duties, in this case as members of Parliament. Physical abuse is an assault, and if any One Nation member was assaulted last night, I would not condone that and would expect the police to take action on that matter. However, to call for a ban on protests at the steps of the Parliament is an overreaction, and it raises a question about the credentials of One Nation on this matter. Does One Nation really support a democracy, or would it be more comfortable living under a regime in which people cannot protest on the front steps of the Parliament? Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
If any One Nation member was physically abused last night, I would deplore that; that is not on. There is no doubt that people have a right to come to the Parliament to protest. However, that is a right to disagree with people. It is not a right to harass people when they are conducting their duties, in this case as members of Parliament. Physical abuse is an assault, and if any One Nation member was assaulted last night, I would not condone that and would expect the police to take action on that matter. However, to call for a ban on protests at the steps of the Parliament is an overreaction, and it raises a question about the credentials of One Nation on this matter. Does One Nation really support a democracy, or would it be more comfortable living under a regime in which people cannot protest on the front steps of the Parliament? Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
Dr GALLOP replied: I am intrigued by those comments, because Pauline Hanson would be well aware, as a former member of the federal Parliament, that what happens within the Parliament and the parliamentary precincts is a matter for the Presiding Officers. I know that they jealously guard that responsibility, and so they should. Having said that, we live in a democracy, and Western Australia has a great tradition in which people who wish to protest - and we had protests today about the live sheep trade and other issues in our southern suburbs - come to the steps of this Parliament. It is important that we emphasise again that our Parliament is part of our community, and people have a right to protest on the steps of the Parliament. If any One Nation member was physically abused last night, I would deplore that; that is not on. There is no doubt that people have a right to come to the Parliament to protest. However, that is a right to disagree with people. It is not a right to harass people when they are conducting their duties, in this case as members of Parliament. Physical abuse is an assault, and if any One Nation member was assaulted last night, I would not condone that and would expect the police to take action on that matter. However, to call for a ban on protests at the steps of the Parliament is an overreaction, and it raises a question about the credentials of One Nation on this matter. Does One Nation really support a democracy, or would it be more comfortable living under a regime in which people cannot protest on the front steps of the Parliament? Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
I am intrigued by those comments, because Pauline Hanson would be well aware, as a former member of the federal Parliament, that what happens within the Parliament and the parliamentary precincts is a matter for the Presiding Officers. I know that they jealously guard that responsibility, and so they should. Having said that, we live in a democracy, and Western Australia has a great tradition in which people who wish to protest - and we had protests today about the live sheep trade and other issues in our southern suburbs - come to the steps of this Parliament. It is important that we emphasise again that our Parliament is part of our community, and people have a right to protest on the steps of the Parliament. If any One Nation member was physically abused last night, I would deplore that; that is not on. There is no doubt that people have a right to come to the Parliament to protest. However, that is a right to disagree with people. It is not a right to harass people when they are conducting their duties, in this case as members of Parliament. Physical abuse is an assault, and if any One Nation member was assaulted last night, I would not condone that and would expect the police to take action on that matter. However, to call for a ban on protests at the steps of the Parliament is an overreaction, and it raises a question about the credentials of One Nation on this matter. Does One Nation really support a democracy, or would it be more comfortable living under a regime in which people cannot protest on the front steps of the Parliament? Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
If any One Nation member was physically abused last night, I would deplore that; that is not on. There is no doubt that people have a right to come to the Parliament to protest. However, that is a right to disagree with people. It is not a right to harass people when they are conducting their duties, in this case as members of Parliament. Physical abuse is an assault, and if any One Nation member was assaulted last night, I would not condone that and would expect the police to take action on that matter. However, to call for a ban on protests at the steps of the Parliament is an overreaction, and it raises a question about the credentials of One Nation on this matter. Does One Nation really support a democracy, or would it be more comfortable living under a regime in which people cannot protest on the front steps of the Parliament? Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
Mr Birney interjected. Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
Dr GALLOP: Does the member for Kalgoorlie want to have a bit of a debate about One Nation? I am sure the member for Mitchell could tell us a thing or two about negotiating with One Nation and about doing the old One Nation tango around the electorate of Mitchell. What is the new Leader of the Opposition’s view on One Nation and its preferences on Liberal Party how-to-vote cards? When will the Leader of the Opposition give his position on that matter? The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
The Government supports freedom of speech, and that includes the freedom to deliver a speech that is written, even if only partly, by an expelled Liberal Party powerbroker.
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