George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Brisbanites who have had their mornings disrupted on a regular basis by green extremists now know where they can direct their anger. It is towards the un-Australian Greens Party in general and their grandstanding councillor Jonathon Sri in particular. Why? Because Councillor Sri aids and abets law-breaking and disruption, and the ratepayers of Brisbane are footing some of the bill for their actions. Councillor Sri offers up his office for use by green extremists, who assume a variety of names to stage their protests by. The good ratepayers of Brisbane fund Councillor Sri and his office expenses, and these resources are now being used to disrupt their lives. Of course, the Greens councillor is not only willing to provide his office for strategy meetings and training courses on how to deal with police at protests; he is completely in favour of their disruption and is indeed one of the disruptors himself. Councillor Sri said the actions of the green extremists in gluing themselves to city streets and sitting in canoes in the middle of roads are a legitimate and effective strategy for maintaining political pressure and drawing attention to an issue.

I have a suggestion for Brisbane City Council and the good mayor: as Councillor Sri is the aider and abetter of disruption to businesses and workplaces and all the other annoying activity that takes place in Brisbane and elsewhere, let's send the bill for all of the costs involved in court action, lost productivity and police man hours wasted to Councillor Sri and the Australian—or should I say un-Australian—Greens to pay.