Senator NETTLE (9:58 AM) —I will not address the issue of what occurs in this chamber nor what occurs in the public gallery, as Senator Brown has adequately canvassed that on behalf of the Greens. The issue I do wish to go to is the right of Australians to gather, to protest and to demonstrate outside of our Australian parliament on occasions such as those that will occur next week. I refer to questions that were asked of the Speaker in the House of Representatives yesterday by the member for Fremantle. In her question to the Speaker she said:

In a following question to the Speaker she said that, in discussions she had had with the security controller for the parliament:

The response from the Speaker of the House of Representatives did not adequately address this concern raised by the member for Fremantle. Using this opportunity now, I ask you, Acting Deputy President Chapman, to confirm for the Senate that protesters who are involved in actions outside of this parliament will be able to use a PA system as a part of their demonstrations. I am not aware whether you, as Acting Deputy President, are able to provide us with an answer immediately or whether we require the President of the Senate to get back to the Senate before the close of business today—the last opportunity before we deal with these issues next week—and clarifying what are the rights of Australian protesters out the front of our Parliament House on occasions such as those that will occur next week.

If there is a proposal to stop these protesters being able to use a PA system at their demonstrations, we see it as an effective muzzling of the right to demonstrate and the right to put forward alternative perspectives to the President of the United States and to President Hu from China. A debate has already occurred in this chamber about the muzzling of the opportunity for elected parliamentarians to engage in debate and put alternative perspectives to these two world leaders. Let us now hear from the President of the Senate about whether there is an intention to also effectively muzzle the rights of protesters outside of this building to voice their opposition to a range of different actions by both of these presidents of these two countries who are coming to us next week. So I ask you either for a ruling now or to come back to the Senate today before the close of business on whether protesters will be able to use their PA systems.

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Chapman)—Senator Nettle, I will refer the matter you have raised to the President and leave it for him to respond at an appropriate time.