House debates
Thursday, 17 February 2022
Questions to the Speaker
Parliamentary Precinct
3:19 pm
Craig Kelly (Hughes, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Mr Speaker, my question to you is based upon your authority under the Parliamentary Precincts Act 1988, which gives the Presiding Officers the responsibility for the control and management of Parliament House and its immediate surroundings. Last Saturday, 12 February, Canberra witnessed the largest-ever protest in the nation's capital, when many tens of thousands of Australians travelled from all—
Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Member for Hughes, this is not an opportunity to make a statement. Do you have a question for me?
Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Well, just get straight to the question, please.
Craig Kelly (Hughes, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
During that protest, can the Speaker confirm if the AFP positioned one or more long-range acoustic devices in the parliamentary precincts with the intention that it be used as a sonic weapon against protesters who included nurses, schoolteachers and paramedics? Did the AFP seek approval from the Presiding Officers to deploy such a device, and was the long-range acoustic device used against the protesters on that day?
3:20 pm
Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I'll report back to the House on that in due course.