EXCLUSIVE
Anthony Albanese appeared in Parliament eight months ago to apologise to his staff for pro-Palestine protesters blocking access to his office in his inner-west Sydney electorate.
But fast forward to today and the Prime Minister’s constituency office in Marrickville, in Sydney’s inner west, is still closed to the public, with staff warned it is too dangerous to work there and the Prime Minister himself unable to visit.
As the opposition branded the prime minister “weak” last night, Mr Albanese bizarrely refused to call on authorities to move the protesters forward, or at least clear a path for locals.
Mr Albanese knew he had a problem last December, when he apologised to his staff just before Christmas for the havoc caused by the pro-Palestine protests.
“To Tim Murray (director of the Prime Minister’s electoral office) and my electoral staff… I am sorry that there are so many protests at this time,” the Prime Minister told Parliament.
‘Blocking a parliamentarian’s electorate does not change a political decision.
‘What it does is prevent people who need their local member from accessing social security, health care and other issues.’
But more than eight months later, the Prime Minister’s constituents are still being prevented from discussing vital services such as Centrelink and Medicare support in his constituency office.
Anthony Albanese stood up in Parliament eight months ago to apologise to his staff for pro-Palestine protesters blocking access to his office in his inner west Sydney electorate.
The outside of the Prime Minister’s office in Marrickville, in Sydney’s inner west, has been occupied by a pro-Palestine camp, preventing constituents from accessing the office.
Just yesterday, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that the current lockdown of his office is causing “disruption for vulnerable Australians seeking help.”
However, Mr Albanese remains unwilling to break up the protests and do anything about it.
This is despite the fact that protesters are breaking the law by posting signs at the taxpayer-funded election office and illegally occupying property lines.
When Daily Mail Australia asked how such a situation could be allowed to happen, a spokesman for the prime minister said that “citizens in a democracy have the right to peacefully protest.”
Asked to explain the inconsistency between allowing protesters in the Prime Minister’s backyard to block the entrance to his office and put up posters on the building when attempts to do the same at Parliament House in Canberra last week resulted in serious action, the Prime Minister’s spokesman declined to provide an answer.
On such occasions, protesters are arrested, fined and expelled.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have prevented Albanese from using his own office and his constituents from visiting and accessing his services. The authorities have not lifted a finger.
Some of the signs found on the front of the property.
In his speech to Parliament last year, the Prime Minister said: “The Middle East is a very difficult issue, but my constituency is not responsible for anything that happens there.”
Despite no fault of their own, staff have had to endure being evicted from their workplaces for the better part of a year, with no end in sight.
Meanwhile, constituents who need to access vital services such as assistance with Centrelink payments or help navigating the NDIS or guidance on how to access crisis support services are unable to get the help they need by visiting the office.
The lockdown also means voters cannot access facilities to obtain items such as Australian flags or copies of the Uluṟu Declaration, which are available at electoral offices across the country. The prime minister’s electorate recorded one of the highest percentages of votes in favour of the Voice in last year’s referendum.
Last week, pro-Palestinian protesters scaled the roof of the Australian Parliament. Their presence was not tolerated.
All electoral offices are expected to receive posters of King Charles shortly to replace the Queen Elizabeth II posters previously available to voters.
But not so among the prime minister’s electorate, which registered one of the highest percentages of republican votes in the 1999 referendum.
Liberal MP Ted O’Brien said Albanese’s constituents deserved better.
“It is true that the electoral office staff do not deserve this, nor do the locals, but it is also a sad indictment of the Prime Minister’s authority or lack thereof,” he said.
Leaving the situation unresolved for so long sends a message of weakness beyond the Prime Minister’s own electorate.
“I stand with the people of Grayndler.”
Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said: “Attacks on election offices are completely unacceptable and we need stronger action to stamp them out once and for all. We are ready to support stronger measures to stop these attacks so that election offices can reopen and carry out their important work.
“But this government appears to have lost its grip on social cohesion; we are seeing real pressures mounting; our war memorials are being desecrated, MPs are being attacked and our Parliament has been subjected to unacceptable displays of hatred and ignorance.”
National Senator Bridget McKenzie said Albanese needed to confront the protesters.
“The Prime Minister should no longer accept such lenient behaviour,” he said.
“As prime minister and leader of the country, you cannot remain passive in this situation. Peaceful protests should not obstruct the work of local MPs interacting with their constituents.”
