Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

Your question is whether the bill will criminalise a legitimate political protest by conscientious objectors. I can advise that the bill is neither intended nor designed to pick up activity that is not about materially assisting the enemy. It would only pick up serious criminal behaviour. I then extrapolate from that to say that this would not apply, therefore, to peaceful protest activities such as what you have described. If you go to the section of the legislation, I think it is very clear that in the words and in the intent of the legislation it is not designed to disrupt what is legitimate protest—legitimate behaviour of people who are using their democratic rights to make the political point they want to make. This is not designed to pick up that sort of behaviour. It goes to the question of materiality.