A climate protester interrupted question time in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly by climbing over a barrier and entering the chamber. The protest, organised by environmental advocacy group Rising Tide, lasted several minutes and involved eight activists who threw pages of government and academic climate reports onto the floor, including the Net Zero Commission’s report that mine expansions run counter to the state’s legislated emissions‑reduction targets.
The protester, Andrew Sneddon, was restrained by MPs and parliamentary staff as he attempted to speak. Speaker Greg Piper cut the livestream feed. Sneddon said he was driven to act by the Minns government’s failure to address the climate crisis, calling for urgent action to stop new fossil‑fuel projects and deliver a fair transition for coal workers.
NSW police said Sneddon was removed from the room by Special Constables and issued a move‑on direction, which he complied with. Police spokespersons stated that no further action was expected. MP David Saliba, who helped restrain Sneddon, described the incident as shocking and noted the loud noise when Sneddon landed on the chamber floor.
The protest was aimed at the approval of the Hunter Valley Operations coalmine extension by the state’s Independent Planning Commission last month. The protester and his co‑activists argued that the extension was incompatible with the state’s climate goals and that the government should listen to scientific experts to avoid further environmental harm.
