NT Chief Minister tells court she was 'afraid'

Northern Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin has told the Darwin Magistrates Court she felt 'afraid' and 'intimidated' when a group of activists entered the Parliamentary chamber last year.

Ms Martin was giving evidence in the trial of five people charged with disturbing the Parliament.

Five members of the Network Against Prohibition are facing the charges over the incident last May.

Ms Martin told the court she only remained in the chamber for 15 to 20 seconds after the group entered.

She said she left after one of the protesters waved a piece of cardboard close to her face.

Under questioning from one of the defendants she said the presence of a group of people, who had no right to be in the parliament, and who are 'running at you while you are trying to do your job' is intimidating.

She said she was shocked at such a breach of parliamentary rules.

Territory Police Minister Paul Henderson also took the stand earlier today, the fifth minister to give evidence in relation to the so-called invasion.

One of the defendants, Mr Stuart Highway, asked the Police Minister if he would say there was an element of hypocrisy in the government's new drug legislation, given that the Chief Minister had admitted to illicit drug use.

He also asked whether the legislation could be seen as 'do as we say, not do as we do'?

But Mr Henderson said there was no element of hypocrisy and the legislation was targeted against those who sold drugs - not those who were consuming them.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Mon, 19 May 2003
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia Web)
Website: http://www.abc.net.au
Copyright: 2003 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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