Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, in response to Senator Hinch, I understand that the protesters were in fact in the public gallery and not on the floor of the House, which is a place where every Australian citizen should be encouraged to go to watch the House of Representatives and, for that matter, the Senate in action. The second point to make is that these were peaceful and nonviolent protests. One of the problems with politics these days is that the people who are elected to parliaments to represent citizens are too divorced and too inside the bubble in this place. What happened yesterday was that the bubble was burst, and the Greens think that is a good thing.

Finally, in response to the umpteenth conspiracy theory that Mr Roberts has put before this Senate chamber, the protesters received no assistance from me. I did not cavort or anything else with them on the morning of the protest. I had no association with them whatsoever before the protest. I did go down afterwards to congratulate them with Senator Di Natale, which I am really proud of.