Aboriginal activists gather in Parliament House foyer
A group of protesters that included actress Madeleine Madden has overrun the foyer of Parliament House.
A group of Aboriginal activists has launched a protest inside the foyer of Parliament House in Canberra.
Dozens of people have overrun the public area of parliament to voice their outrage about environmental issues, claiming to speak on behalf of First Nations people.
The crowd, which included actress Madeleine Madden — who has starred TV shows including Redefern Now, Tidelands, Pine Gap and Jack Irish — as well as many non-indigenous Australians.
They are protesting against the Murray Darling Basin Plan, coal-seam gas mining and coal mining.
Several of the activists addressed their fellow protesters.
There has also been a chant with the lyrics: “This land is me, don’t frack country”.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are hit first and worst by climate change,” Amelia Telford from the Indigenous Youth Climate Network said.
“We are hurting in the face of water shortages, extreme heat, environmental pollution and the destruction of country and culture.”
There are more protesters outside Parliament House, which is closed to public because of the incident.
Police are watching on but have not yet attempted to move anyone out of the building.
Protests are not allowed inside Parliament House.
Greens senators Mehreen Faruqi, Jordon Steele-John, Larissa Waters and Sarah Hanson-Young are watching in support.
The activists left Parliament House after more than an hour.
They walked in unison while singing “always was, always will be Aboriginal land”.
They left on their own initiative and were not forced out of the building by police or security.
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