The Speaker of New South Wales Parliament has revealed his unsuccessful attempt to have a planned neo-Nazi demonstration moved away from the parliament building, exposing significant communication failures within the state's security apparatus.
Security Request Denied
Greg Piper, the Independent Member for Lake Macquarie and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, disclosed that he learned about the planned rally from a staff member late on Friday afternoon. He immediately requested that parliament's internal security service relocate the protest away from the front of the historic building in Sydney.
Speaking to Guardian Australia, Piper confirmed that his request was rejected, with security officials stating that moving the demonstration "was not possible" and "could not be facilitated." The parliamentary security service itself had initially alerted Piper's office about the planned gathering.
Leadership Under Scrutiny
The revelation comes as NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon faced continued questioning about who authorised the protest to proceed directly outside the state's most important democratic institution. Commissioner Lanyon has attributed the approval to an "internal communication error" within the police force.
Piper expressed his frustration, telling The Sydney Morning Herald: "It seemed quite evident to me that this should not go on outside the parliament, but we were told there was nothing that could be done." He described the situation as a "failure to be politically attuned" rather than merely a communication breakdown.
Despite being unable to have the protest moved, Piper did secure additional security measures, requesting that special constables be present during the event to monitor the situation.
Protest and Aftermath
On Saturday morning, the controversial gathering proceeded as planned. More than 60 members of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Network stood in formation on Macquarie Street, displaying a banner with the inflammatory message "Abolish the Jewish Lobby."
Piper condemned the decision to allow the demonstration, stating: "They've completely been successful in what they set out to do. They've created these images of themselves in front of the most important building representing democracy in NSW."
The incident has prompted Premier Minns to order a review examining both Saturday's rally and another protest by the same group that occurred outside parliament in June. The investigation will scrutinise communication channels between police, the premier's department, and the premier's office.
All three key figures - Premier Minns, Police Commissioner Lanyon, and Police Minister Yasmin Catley - have stated they had no prior knowledge of the rally before it took place.
