Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week the Chinese Communist Party's control of Hong Kong was made very clear to the world. Hong Kong's once proud, independent and democratic, now communist controlled, judicial system sentenced 45 democracy activists to sentences of up to 10 years' imprisonment. The people sentenced were protesters, legislators, councillors and academics. The Chinese Communist Party's MO is to lock up citizens who criticise or disagree with their ruling of Hong Kong.

Among those brave warriors for democracy was an Australian man, Gordon Ng. Gordon was sent to jail for more than seven years as part of a mass sentencing targeting dozens of pro-democracy activists under the territory's sweeping national security laws. Gordon was one of almost 50 campaigners charged with subversion under the laws, which have been designed to kill off political opposition in Hong Kong. The trial, as they like to call it, was overseen by three government picked judges without a jury—what's new! These people should never have been convicted in the first place. They were respected politicians, journalists, academics and trade unionists.

The Chinese Communist Party cannot be trusted. They don't care about human rights and they're not interested in democracy—never have been! Meanwhile, in Tasmania the state Liberal government has helped a Chinese developer bypass local council planning laws by declaring that their hotel proposal for Kangaroo Bay is 'a major project'—what a load of rubbish! This was a dodgy development from the start. It's on public land and it's opposed by the local community. While our Australian government is condemning the Chinese government for locking up pro-democracy demonstrators, the Tasmanian government—what do you know—is helping Chinese developers bypass our local rules. For goodness sake, Mr Rockliff, give me some strength—and, for God's sake, before something else gets done, start doing the right thing, mate, in the best interests of Tasmanians.