Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

When did Australia become a country where you can march with radical Islamists on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and burn the Australian flag, but you're not allowed to wave one in a park, protesting mass immigration and net zero? That's what's happening in Sydney, and it says everything about the state of this country under the Albanese Labor government.

A group of proud Australians reached out to me recently. They call themselves Put Australia First. They explained they were planning a peaceful protest at a public park. They wanted to speak out about what has been crushing everyday Aussies: mass immigration, unaffordable housing and rising power prices. They'd even worked with police to change the date of the march to 29 November because of the threat of left-wing violence, but the Sydney council has denied their permit. The excuse? They said the protest might damage the grass and, because of climate change, it might not grow back. Talk about a stitch-up!

This has nothing to do with climate and everything to do with shutting people up. This is the same council that lets activists shut down the Sydney Harbour Bridge, wave terrorist flags, march with Islamists and burn the Australian flag in protest. That's fine with them, but Aussies attending a stage in a park, waving their own flags, speaking the truth, protesting the Labor government's policies apparently is too dangerous to the grass because of climate change.

I think we all know that isn't about protecting grass; it's a desperate attempt to stop a growing grassroots movement. The government don't want debate; they want you to go away. They are terrified because people are waking up and asking: 'Why can't I afford a home? Why are my power bills so high? Why are we importing more people when services are already stretched to breaking point? And why are we being silenced for asking these questions?' The people will not be silenced forever. One Nation will keep leading the way, and together we can put Australia first and take our country back.