Source : Perth Now news
A Greens staffer who was banned from attending the Land Forces weapons expo in Perth will now be able to join a protest allowing her access to the event area on Tuesday.
Matilda Lane-Rose, 22, was fined $2000 and received a suspended sentence last year for trying to spray paint messages on the home of former Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neil.
Because of the the stunt, police placed Ms Lane-Rose on a list excluding about a dozen activists from entering the area surrounding the defence expo that is taking place in Perth until October 10.
Police agreed to allow Ms Lane-Rose to enter the event for the planned protest after the Human Rights Law Centre and SCALES Community Legal Centre filed proceedings in the WA Supreme Court on Friday.
Banned activists face three years’ jail time and a $36,000 fine if they are caught inside the event area during the expo.
“This exclusion notice has meant that people with a history of peaceful protest are banned from public events and spaces in order to protect the private interests of the military industrial complex,” Ms Lane-Rose said.
“I am continuing to pursue this case because I don’t accept the government’s decision to restrict my rights and the rights of other activists to move freely in the city where we live.”
Chaotic and violent scenes erupted at Australia’s largest defence industry expo in Melbourne two years ago.
The WA government introduced new legislation giving police additional powers to “keep the community safe” during the Perth event.
Police Minister Reece Whitby said the violence at the Melbourne Land Forces event in 2024 had no place in the community.
“We do not want to see those scenes repeated here in Perth, and that’s why we’ve introduced these additional, time-limited powers to keep the community, delegates and police safe.”
Security has been beefed up for the event ,which will bring defence and industry leaders, delegates and researchers from 60 nations and about 1000 organisations from Indo-Pacific, Europe, Asia, and North America to Perth.
The government will be looking at maximising AUKUS opportunities and encouraging international and defence companies to expand into Western Australia.
“We’re making sure WA captures the long-term benefits, too, with our investment in training a skilled defence and shipbuilding workforce to ensure we keep creating jobs for the future,” Premier Roger Cook said.
The federal government poured $12bn into developing a defence precinct at Henderson, in Perth’s south, to support AUKUS capabilities.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Australia’s first female Chief of Army Lieutenant General Susan Coyle will address the conference on Wednesday.
