That's now what happens if you approach a New South Wales minister in public twice in two months. Even if Kristo is found guilty as charged, what on earth justified the over-the-top police action? It doesn't matter if you like or dislike friendlyjordies. I'm aware of some of his statements that offend people and which I may not personally agree with, but that doesn't mean a YouTube producer should be violently arrested in his home because he engaged in journalistic behaviour. The threat to free speech and a free press is clear—
The Deputy SpeakerR (Mr Zimmerman): The member for Bruce will come to order. We are in delicate territory because of the sub judice convention. I've been listening very carefully to what you have been saying.
Mr Hill: I've checked the words—
The Deputy Speaker: If you could let me finish and not interrupt. The Practice makes clear that commentary involving criminal matters is considered more likely to run foul of the sub judice convention than if it were simply a civil matter. To be absolutely clear—and obviously it's the discretion of the chair in these circumstances—I think it would be helpful if your comments did not ascribe motives to any actions that have been taken by the police force, noting that charges have been laid and that presumably this will be before a New South Wales court at some stage very soon. I think a descriptor of the events is permissible, but I counsel you against ascribing motives or questioning the legitimacy of any charges that have been laid against this person.
Mr Hill: I accept the counsel. I've chosen my words carefully. I haven't contested the charges. I've got 30 seconds left; could I finish that?
The Deputy Speaker: You have, unfortunately, run out of time.
Mr Hill: Sometimes the clock is stopped. Usually the clock is stopped.
The Deputy Speaker: Yes. We can give the Member for Bruce another 30 seconds.
Mr Hill: It's 35 seconds; I'll be that long. It has been observed that the bail conditions may be unconstitutional—that'll be worked out in the courts, but the normal acceptance is that bail conditions are not supposed to hamper democracy or gag the press. He's now prevented from commenting on the Deputy Premier's appearance or behaviour.
ASIO warned last year that right-wing extremist rhetoric was reaching such an unprecedented audience in Australia that police should be focused on serious violent threats. Instead, in my view, conservative snowflakes in New South Wales have sicked the police and the criminal law onto a left-wing comedian who upset them.
The public are yet to know what exactly the Deputy Premier of New South Wales told the police in order to get a specialist police unit, set up for terrorists and fixated persons, to act in the way they did.