Question Time shut down after asylum protesters storm parliament
Security at Parliament House is being reviewed after nearly 40 protesters disrupted Question Time, chanting loudly about Australia's refugee policies from the public gallery where some had superglued their hands to a railing.
In a week that has already seen discussion about tightening security on Capital Hill and the possible banning of children from rolling down the grass, a chorus of shouting rang out in the chamber on Wednesday that brought a halt to proceedings.
Speaker Tony Smith suspended the session in what one senior government minister described as the worst intrusions in two decades.
The last of them was removed - by the seat of his pants - just after 2.30pm.
Guards had to use hand sanitiser to help peel their glued hands off the rail.
"We are here today because your policies are breaking our hearts, because every day on Manus and Christmas Island is another day in hell," one of the protesters said.
The protesters, from the Whistleblowers Activists and Citizens Alliance, said offshore detention represented a "state of emergency" as asylum seekers continued to be abused.
"We've shut down parliament," the group tweeted.
They also had videos ready to launch on Facebook to coincide with their act of parliamentary disobedience.
When the members returned, Cabinet Minister Christopher Pyne said it was the worst intrusion since 1996 and offered an apology to the public.
"As the person responsible for the chamber and the House I would suggest you conduct a thorough investigation," Mr Pyne said.
"If people are signed in from the public area and in many cases to the chamber, they are signed in by a member of Parliament.
In the disruption, most government MPs, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, left the chamber during the protest but Labor leader Bill Shorten remained.
The only supporter in either house came from the Greens, with Tasmanian Senator Peter Whish-Wilson standing with the group.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale praised his party member and embraced the protesters in the parking garage, telling one "we are so proud of what you have done".
Greens MP Adam Bandt meanwhile stayed in the House to praise protesters' actions.
"Question Time brought to a halt as peaceful protesters hold MPs to account demanding gov #CloseTheCamps. Brave. Powerful. Proud," he wrote on Twitter.
Labor MP Tim Watts was critical of the protesters.
"Preventing elected Members of Parliament from meeting is a poor form of democratic protest," he tweeted.
Federal police officers rolled in to deal with the situation.
Nationals MP George Christensen praised the work of security officers.
"Well done to security for dealing so professionally and calmly with these pro-illegal immigrant protesters who have shut down parliament," he tweeted.
Members of the group earlier this month chained themselves to the roof of Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's electorate office in Brisbane.
The same group also interrupted the prime minister while he gave a speech in August.
