Eggs off menu at union protest
A UNION protester was forced to throw away a carton of eggs ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Geelong.
About 15 union protesters, some waving ETU flags, arrived at Geelong railway station shortly before Mr Morrison’s arrival yesterday.
Australian Federal Police protecting the Prime Minister became nervous when one protester was seen proudly showing off his eggs before placing them inside his satchel.
A Victorian teenager attracted worldwide attention when he cracked an egg on the head of Senator Fraser Anning, who had made inflammatory comments about the Christchurch massacre.
After police spoke to one of the Geelong protest organisers, the man was marched to a nearby bin when he voluntarily threw the eggs into a dumpster before the PM arrived.
“Anyone else want to throw away their shopping,” one protester shouted.
No eggs were thrown at Mr Morrison during his media conference, but the protesters did interrupt by chanting slogans calling for the Coalition government to be turfed out of office at the next election in favour of Labor leader Bill Shorten.
The protesters were told they were allowed to protest lawfully but were warned by police not to throw projectiles.
A prepared song sheet with a suggested play list was seen being carried by one the female organisers.
The Prime Minister was able to later joke about the situation.
“I heard they were (carrying eggs) and that may have been their intention but I’m sure that hopefully better sense has prevailed,” Mr Morrison said.
“I just heard them chanting ‘union power, union power’ — that’s what the future of this country looks like under a Shorten government.
“Militant unionists turning up shouting at ordinary Australians and we’re simply here trying to create jobs and build projects and improve the liveability of our cities into the future.
“Bill Shorten is about union power — Bill Shorten doesn’t run the unions, the unions run Bill Shorten and you can see that on display behind me now.
“This is what you have to look forward to under a Shorten government — these shouty union power voices deciding the future of Australia.”