Labor says weapons expo should return to Melbourne, despite disruptive protests

By Alex Crowe, Lachlan Abbott and Cassandra Morgan

Updated September 13, 2024 — 3.04pm

Melbourne will host more military weapons exhibitions, despite the violence and disruptive protests that marred this week’s event, Treasurer Tim Pallas says.

But Pallas said the government might consider moving future Land Forces expos away from South Wharf’s Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre after anti-war demonstrations caused transport chaos and prompted a police response that could cost taxpayers up to $15 million.

Dozens of police officers near Clarendon Street, Southbank on Thursday.Credit: Eddie Jim

The treasurer claimed $70 million is directly flowing into the economy from the three-day event and that the figure justified the bigger policing budget. However, he conceded that the government and organisers would have to have a “discussion” before holding future iterations of the biennial Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition at the same location.

“This is the biggest Land Forces exhibition that’s ever happened in this country by quite a considerable margin, some $70 million worth of economic investment is flowing directly from it,” he said.

“Whether or not we do it at that venue, and whether or not the organisers have a continuing appetite to conduct the event in that location, in this state, I think, will be the subject of continuing discussion.”

Sponsored by the Victorian government with support from the federal government, the industry and defence expo is the largest of its kind in Australia and is attended by more than 20,000 people.

Anti-war demonstrators who attempted to disrupt the expo clashed with police during violent scenes on Wednesday. Protests were relatively subdued on the following days.

But on Friday, two anti-war protesters were arrested after driving a car across a major arterial road and briefly blocking traffic during the morning commute.

The 19-year-old driver of a blue Subaru wagon was charged after allegedly parking the vehicle across traffic on the King Street Bridge. Her 25-year-old passenger was also charged, after allegedly attempting to concrete herself to the car to block traffic.

Both women will front Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in November.

An anti-war protester had her arm in concrete in the back of a car on Kings Way on Friday.Credit: Justin McManus

Several others were arrested during Friday’s protest, including members of the public that were stopped by police within the “designated zone” around the exhibition centre, using extended search powers.

As well as traffic disruptions, the three-day event sparked unrest and disrupted trade for businesses in and around the city.

South Melbourne Market operators estimate trade was down up to 25 per cent across the three days.

While crowds returned to the market later in the week, City of Port Phillip councillor Marcus Pearl said traders had reported major financial losses.

“Protest is a right, no doubt,” Pearl said. “But not at the cost of our hard-working local businesses who are taking hit after hit.”

Jasmine Duff, an organiser of Disrupt Land Forces, a conglomerate of different protest groups, said this week’s anti-war protesters “knew a better world is possible”.

“A new generation has taken up the baton of anti-war activism, replacing passivity and cynicism with hope, determination and civil disobedience,” she said.

“If the convention returns to Melbourne, we will meet it with the same defiance and collectivity that was on display this week.”

Police had previously said rally organisers were trying to get 20,000 people to protest the expo. But an estimated 1500 protesters attended Wednesday’s demonstration, while about 150 protested on Thursday and 100 on Friday.

Forty-two protesters were arrested during the violent clashes with police on day one, five were arrested on day two and 11 on day three.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece said the protests were “a bit of a fizzer in terms of numbers”.

Reece said that the expo was an overall success for Melbourne, where conferences generated $300 million annually.

A protester is taken away near Batman Park on Friday, close to the weapons expo.Credit: Justin McManus

“We pride ourselves on being a conference city and I think this has been a big and successful conference – notwithstanding the protest activity,” he said.

Despite the enthusiasm from the mayor, Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said the protests would have cost the state millions.

Guerra said the greatest costs would come from lost trade and productivity, traffic delays, additional police, vandalism and reputational damage.

“Quite simply, we need to display the best of Victoria to the world, but the protester actions over the past few days have been appalling,” he said.

A woman who had her arm stuck in concrete in a car is arrested on Friday.Credit: Justin McManus

“No cause was advanced as a result of the violence and ugly displays and it is not the Victoria we want to showcase to the world.”

Land Forces organisers, AMDA Foundation, said this week’s expo was its most successful to date and attendance was up 15 per cent on the Brisbane event in 2022.

AMDA chief executive Justin Giddings said 995 exhibitors from 31 countries had attended.

“This has been the largest and the best Land Forces yet,” he said.