Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am so tired of having to report to this place the ongoing intimidation and harassment that my staff, electorate office and I continue to be subjected to by the Left. Last election, it was GetUp, the unions and Labor. Last Monday, not for the first time, not for the second time but for the third time, it was Extinction Rebellion. At around 4 pm, their protesters started chanting, banging drums and yelling outside my electorate office. They then proceeded to vandalise my electorate office. They completely covered nine windows, my door and the footpath with graffiti which could only be removed with a pressure sprayer. In doing so, they willingly stopped the community from accessing my office, which we had to close for the safety of my staff and the community. They also disrupted nearby businesses. Once again, they wasted SA Police resources and they left the taxpayer with the clean-up bill.

Everyone has a right to have their views heard in Australia. However, vandalising property, intimidation and harassment are not the hallmarks of peaceful protest and should never be acceptable. I cannot believe an Extinction Rebellion spokesperson told The Advertiser that me feeling intimidated and harassed is something they're willing to risk for the sake of the planet. This is an unacceptable view. Nobody deserves to feel unsafe or in danger in their workplace and that's exactly what happened to me and my office once again. This is a continuation of the appalling behaviour by GetUp, Labor and the unions last election and it has to stop.