The Education Minister Christopher Pyne has told ABC News 24 that an incident yesterday at Sydney University, in which Julie Bishop was mobbed and heckled by student protesters, amounted to “assault”.
Ms Bishop spent the day visiting UTS and the University of Sydney – two hotbeds of people about to get fucked over by budget cuts – but was still apparently surprised by about 20 protesters chanting “No cuts, no fees, no corporate universities”.
According to reports, the protesters were pushed and shoved out of the hall by security. Student Union board vice-president Tom Raue claims that following the incident he was pushed down a stone stairway by a plainclothes security guard.
On News 24 this afternoon Mr Pyne also called on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to reject the protesters’ actions, because what’s the point of anything if there are no political points to be scored?
Pyne: I call on Bill Shorten to come out and say he does not endorse the students’ behaviour #auspol
— ABC News 24 (@ABCNews24) May 17, 2014
It’s been a big week for Christopher Pyne, who – in between arguably calling Bill Shorten a c*nt and ascribing students’ actions to him – also raised Labor’s anger by signalling to Speaker Bronwyn Bishop to quell the applause for Mr Shorten’s budget response:
The Speaker standing is the parliamentary signal for members to fall silent.
Labor’s previously accused Bronwyn Bishop of being the “most biased speaker in history”; since accepting the position, she’s expelled 100 Labor MPs, but not a single MP from the Coalition.
Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke told Fairfax, “The arrogance of Christopher Pyne issuing instructions to the Speaker is breathtaking. I don’t think anyone gets surprised anymore when the Speaker appears to follow the instructions immediately.”
Image via Stefan Postles for Getty Images News
