New Parliament wants to return PM’s shoe

Aboriginal activist Pat Eatock shows a young girl Prime Minister Julia Gillard's shoe. Ms Gillard lost her shoe after she was rushed out of a Canberra restaurant by police on Survival Day.

NATIONAL: The newly formed First Nations Parliament aims to start out on the right foot by returning the Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s shoe, which was lost during a protest at a Canberra restaurant yesterday.

Prime Minister Gillard and Opposition leader Tony Abbott were attending a function at Pork Barrel Caf shortly after lunch, when a large group of people celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy began protesting outside.

It followed comments by Mr Abbott earlier in the day that the Tent Embassy should be closed down, and First Nations protestors moved on.

Police bundled the Prime Minister out of the venue, knocking her to the ground in their haste. In the course of the event, Aboriginal protestors were assaulted by police.

Paul Coe, spokesperson for the First Nations Parliament, an organisation which has been re-established as a result of the anniversary celebrations, said Embassy activists were disgusted at the behavior of police.

“We’re appalled at the violence we saw today directed against the Prime Minister, and the tactics police employed to try and intimidate members of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, who were peacefully protesting at a family gathering.

“There was no need for that number of police to be there, or to have that level of menace or intimidation.

“They overreacted without assessing whether or not there was any risk to the Prime Minister. The only violence came from police.

“There was no risk to the Prime Minister of Australia. No-one here would have hurt the Prime Minister. Even the Opposition leader was safe.

“I’d remind the Prime Minister and the Opposition leader that in 1972 the then leader of the Opposition Gough Whitlam and the late Lionel Murphy came and met with us in the tents. They never felt threatened.

“We wish to return the shoe to her as a gesture of friendship and in the spirit of cooperation. We hope she will turn up here tomorrow to accept it in the same spirit.

“It’s to show we mean no harm and will not tolerate any threats or intimidation against the Prime Minister of Australia.

“I am appalled that the Prime Minister felt intimidated or threatened in any way because the Prime Minister of Australia should not have to endure or tolerate any of those kinds of behavior directed at her, be it from police or anyone else.

“The shoe is now a symbol of trust between two nations of people.”

Mr Coe said the First Nations Parliament would be established with a year.

“We’re sending letters out to our lawmen and women asking them to meet with First Nations to convene our parliament and to draft our constitution.”

The organisation came about after meetings at the Tent Embassy celebrations.

“We have re-asserted our First Nation sovereign rights through the re-establishment of the First Nations Parliament (the AP was first formed in 1972),” Mr Coe said.