A QUEENSLAND senator has delivered a scathing Facebook rant about the “moss-munching†protesters disrupting Parliament this week.
Liberal National Party Senator James McGrath, who is Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, posted his rant on Thursday after protesters hijacked Question Time the day before and then unfurled a banner at Parliament House this morning.
Senator McGrath described the protesters as “A bunch of … moss-munching, glue-guzzling, K-Mart Castros are again vandalising Parliament. And stopping other opinions being heardâ€.
He added: “These grubs should be made to pay for their damage and have the book thrown at them. As the Greens support their action, then the Greens should stump up the money.â€
Yesterday about 30 protesters caused wild scenes during Question Time, with some activists gluing themselves to a balustrade and yelling “Close the camps!†and “Your politics is killing people!†from the public gallery.
The group apparently behind the action, the Whistleblowers, Activists and Citizens Alliance (WACA), tweeted: “We’ve shut down Parliament.â€
This morning about 20 protesters lined up in front of Parliament House holding posters saying “#Justice4Refugees†and “Turnbacks are murderâ€. They also climbed the building and unveiled a banner that said: “Close The Bloody Camps #Justice4Refugees.â€
In a statement the group said both sides of politics continued to violate human rights, through indefinite detention, supporting turnbacks, and by refusing to take responsibility for the resulting deaths at sea.
“It is clear that the government’s offshore detention policy has failed,†WACA spokeswoman Zianna Fuad said.
“Instead we have become world leaders in cruelty, traumatising thousands of people who came to us seeking asylum and safety. The policy is in direct violation of the UN refugee convention. “The government’s US deal is nothing but a desperate attempt to disguise the establishment of a permanent island prison on Nauru.â€
A member of the group, Phil Evans, told NewsCorp the protests were part of an ongoing campaign.
“Today we are letting parliamentarians know, for a second day in a row, (about) the torture, abuse and rape of refugees,†Mr Evans said.
“We’re calling for justice for refugees and that will only happen when they close all of the bloody camps.â€