PM condemns Black Lives Matter protest planned for Sydney

The Prime Minister has fired up at Black Lives Matter protesters, asking “What gives people a ticket to not obey the law?”

Scott Morrison has slammed a Black Lives Matter protest planned in Sydney next week as “appalling”.

Speaking on 2GB on Wednesday, the Prime Minister warned there was “no special rule” for people not to obey the law.

“I just think that’s appalling,” Mr Morrison said.

“What gives people a ticket to not obey the law?

“Where the police and where the State Government has said that there is a mass gathering that can’t go ahead, well people should obey the law.”

Demonstrators took part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney on July 5 but another one is planned for the end of the month, which police are trying to shut down. Picture: Peter Parks/AFP

Mr Morrison has not been seen in public wearing a face mask, but said he wore one recently at the optometrist. He also backed the health advice for people to wear masks when they cannot social distance, including on public transport.

However, a push from crossbench Senator Rex Patrick to have pollies’ pay docked $1000 for every parliamentary sitting day that is cancelled did not fly with the PM.

“It is just political clickbait,” Mr Morrison said.

“If he’s not working while the parliament is not sitting, that’s a matter for him.

“I can tell you my government members are working as hard outside of the parliament as they do, and I can certainly assure you I am.”

Mr Morrison also spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday.

The pair spoke about their respective challenges fighting COVID-19, the approach to economic recovery and the importance of open trade and secure supply chains.

They also discussed the G7+ summit and a range of Indo-Pacific issues including working more closely post-COVID with like-minded nations such as Japan and India, as well as countries in southeast Asia, the southwest Pacific and Europe.

The importance of multilateral institutions such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Trade Organisation was highlighted because they can make “strong contributions” to Australia and Canada’s broader interests.

Mr Morrison and Mr Trudeau also agreed on the value of the recent broadening of our Five-Eyes partnership beyond intelligence and security to encompass economic and other issues.