Bushwacked in Canberra by the Greens
by Takver Thursday October 23, 2003 at 10:51 PM

While thousands protested on the street against George Bush, it was the protests of Greens Senators Bob Brown and Kerry Nettle which upset John Howard and caused the corporate media to take notice that all Australians weren't stuck up George's arse.

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Photo: Halls of Parliament - Senator Kerry Nettle, attempting to reach Mr Bush on the right with a letter about the illegal detention of an Australian in Guantanamo Bay. (Sydney Morning Herald)

People protest Bush on Canberra Streets

Thousands protested Bush and the invasion of Iraq outside parliament today. The police had tried to ban any marches from occurring and to ban Public Address equipment from use. In defiance of a march ban people marched first to the US Embassy, then to The Lodge, the Prime Minister's permanent residence in Canberra, really just his holiday house, as he lives at Kirribili house in Sydney.

At one point people broke through the police cordon outside the USA embassy, and it seems that two or three people may have been arrested.

Green Party Senators speak out against Bush

In parliament house, the Greens Senators managed to cause some attention by interjecting during George Bush's speech. Senator Bob Brown interjected: "I call on you to return our Australians (and) treat them as the Americans do (and) we will respect you." Senator Keery Nettle shouted protests about the US-led war in Iraq and interjected urging Australia not to sign a free trade agreement with the United States. Mr Bush smiled and responded, "I love free speech". But the Prime Minister, John Howard, was not amused!

Afterwards, in the corridors of parliament house, Greens Senator Bob Brown shook Mr Bush's hand - this must have reallly outraged the conservatives, that Bob Brown should think he was the equal to the US President and shake his hand.

"I was physically elbowed and had my feet trodden on," Senator Brown said. "Despite all that I reached through and had a double handshake with George Bush, including the thumb around." He said Mr Bush returned his gaze and acknowledged him when he said: "I hope you will release our citizens from Guantanamo Bay."
Charge of the Lightfoot brigade doesn't stop Green protest - Sydney Morning Herald

The 18-year-old son of Mamdouh Habib, one of two Australians being held at a US military prison in Cuba without charge after the Afghan invasion, was dragged out after yelling: "Hey Bush, what about my Dad?". He attended parliament as a formal guest of one of the Green Party Senators.

Greens Senator, Kerry Nettle, attempted to reach George Bush to give him a letter written by Maha Habib, the wife of a detainee in Guantanamo Bay Concentration Camp in Cuba.

The wife of Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib has written a letter to George W Bush which she hopes to hand deliver to the US president. Maha Habib and her eight year old son Ahmed will be in parliament as guests of Greens senator Kerry Nettle to hear Mr Bush's address to a joint sitting. Mrs Habib said her husband had been detained in Pakistan two years ago and had yet to be charged with breaking any laws.
Detainee wife has letter for Bush - The Age

Evidently Ms Nettle did manage to almost reach Mr Bush and offered him the letter, which he refused to accept.

Labor Party - protests lost in pragmatism

And where was the Labor Party voicing its dissent from the War on Iraq? and the policies of George Bush and John Howard?

When Health Minister Tony Abbott demanded that Senators Brown and Nettle be suspended from Parliament, some on the Labor side said "No". When Senator Brown called for a "division" so the matter could be voted on the government dropped its demand.

As President Bush shook hands with MPs, Sydney Labor MP Tanya Plibersek walked around and gave Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice a book of speeches by Labor MPs opposing Australia invading Iraq without UN approval. Ms Rice shook Ms Plibersek's hand and took the book with a smile.

Forty-one ALP federal parliamentarians have written an open letter to George Bush. Read it at the Sydney Morning Herald

The only Labor politicians with the guts to speak out, in the great tradition of Jim Cairns, were Harry Quick and Carmen Lawrence.

Bush and Howard do away with accountability and democracy

Bush has refused to give a customary joint media conference during his sleepover stay in Australia. Australian Journalists have been denied the ability to be in the close up media pool following the President around, all 4 places being allocated to the Whitehouse press corps.

The US Secret Service rejected an application from the Canberra press gallery for equal access, on the basis that the journalists did not have the required US security clearances. The Secret Service then declined to allow the journalists to apply for those clearances; no reason was given.

Basically democracy in Canberra has been severely curtailed during George Bush's visit. Rights to protest and march have been severely limited. Read Margot Kingston's column in the Sydney Morning Herald: Howard cancels democracy for Bush and beyond: Can we stop him?

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