Not on: Speaker condemns protesters who climbed state parliament

The speaker of the House of Assembly has condemned environmental protesters who scaled the front of State Parliament on Tuesday. Why she says it puts other protests in jeopardy.

Image supplied by the Bob Brown Foundation showing protest action at Parliament House on Tuesday, March 3, 2025

The speaker of the House of Assembly has condemned environmental protesters who scaled the front of State Parliament on Tuesday.

Members of the Bob Brown Foundation hung a banner from the front of the building before parliament resumed, posing for pictures with Greens MPs.

Speaker Michelle O’Byrne said the incident would be investigated.

Speaker Michelle O'Byrne. First sitting day for the House of Assembly in the Tasmanian parliament for 2025. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“I will remind members that the actions that were taken outside the chamber the parliament today caused potential damage to a heritage building that is already a little bit on the fragile.

“I don’t think we should be, we should be in any way glorifying that.

“We have always allowed protests at this place but that kind of action puts at jeopardy the ability of us to safely allow protests on site, and that is a matter that we will be investigating

“I’m happy with protests but climbing our building and putting people at risk is not okay.”

Bob Brown Foundation campaigner Erik Hayward said the protest was intended to persuade MPs to end native forest logging in Tasmania.

Image supplied by the Bob Brown Foundation showing protest action at Parliament House on Tuesday, March 3, 2025

“On opening day of parliament, we took action to remind parliamentarians that as long as they enable and oversee the destruction of Tasmania’s forests that we will be there, holding them accountable every step of the way.

“While parliament has not been sitting, vast areas of ancient forests and critically endangered Swift Parrot habitat have been destroyed.

“Now, as we enter the globally catastrophic season of Forestry Tasmania incinerating the logged forests, the climate atrocities must end.”