Both Labor and the Liberals have today voted to suspend Greens MP Gabrielle de Vietri from the chamber for refusing to apologise for taking a selfie in support of climate protesters.
Yesterday, a group of climate protesters unfurled banners from the public gallery promoting the upcoming school strike for climate on Friday.
Ms de Vietri took a selfie with her fellow Greens MPs in solidarity with the protesters, and was immediately heckled by both major parties.
While it was not technically against the rules, she was asked to remove the photo from social media and apologise to the chamber.
Because she refused, both parties teamed up to suspend her, a suspension that will last for the remainder of the week.
Once the vote was counted 75-4, and she was asked to leave the chamber, Ms de Vietri stood up and pointed to a school group sitting in the gallery and said “this is for their future”, to which students cheered and gave her a thumbs up.
They were then immediately cleared from the gallery.
Ms de Vietri said it was telling that the state government wanted the public’s attention to be focused on a selfie, rather than on the growing chorus of young people demanding Labor stop supporting new coal and gas projects.
The Greens back every young person fighting for the future of the planet, and will join students on Friday for their strike.
As stated by Victorian Greens Member for Richmond, Gabrielle de Vietri MP:
“When we’re facing the hottest year in 125,000 years, business as usual is untenable.
“The Greens back every young person fighting for the future of our planet.
“The disruption in the chamber yesterday is nothing compared to what government inaction will mean for our climate in years to come.
“It’s alarming to see Labor using their power to stifle young people’s democratic right to protest and distract from their inaction on the climate crisis.”
