Australia Day 2012 protests

On Thursday 26 January 2012, Australia Day, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra staged a 40th Anniversary celebration. That morning, the Australian Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott was interviewed and asked if the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was still relevant or if it should be moved. He replied, Look, I can understand why the tent embassy was established all those years ago. I think a lot has changed for the better since then. We had the historic apology just a few years ago, one of the genuine achievements of Kevin Rudd as prime minister. We had the proposal which is currently for national consideration to recognise indigenous people in the Constitution. I think the indigenous people of Australia can be very proud of the respect in which they are held by every Australian and, yes, I think a lot has changed since then and I think it probably is time to move on from that. Later that day, Abbott attended an awards ceremony with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Lobby Restaurant in Canberra. Gillard and Abbott were presenting emergency services medals. ==Protest==

Near to the Lobby Restaurant, The Aboriginal Tent Embassy was holding a celebration of its 40th anniversary. Kim Sattler, an Aboriginal and secretary of Unions ACT, was also at the celebration. Tony Hodges of Gillard's office had a conversation with Kim Sattler about Abbott's comments and also informed her that Abbott was nearby. Sattler then relayed to Shaw that Abbott "made a statement to the press that the Tent Embassy should be pulled down". This prompted the Prime Minister's security guards (with large numbers of Federal Police assisting) to evacuate the Prime Minister and (on her request) the Opposition Leader from the venue. The Prime Minister lost her shoe during the chaotic evacuation, which was eventually returned by the protesters. According to the Prime Minister's office, that afternoon Hodges revealed to his superiors, senior press secretary Sean Kelly and communications director John McTeirnan, that he had phoned Sattler, informing her of Abbott's comments and his whereabouts. Gillard said that she was informed of Hodges involvement in the afternoon. Hodges resigned. Controversy over comment allegations The event received international news coverage. Some days later the federal Opposition asked the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to investigate whether there had been any criminal incitement to riot, but the AFP initially found no evidence of a criminal act. Video footage of Sattler asking Shaw to direct the protest emerged and the AFP then did investigate Sattler and Hodges. According to the ABC's 7.30 programme, in the early aftermath of the protest, Sattler reportedly claimed to have had no part in the protest. Later she said she only repeated what Hodges had told her. Following a call from the Prime Minister's office, Sattler told the media on 13 February that she did not tell protesters that Abbott wanted to "tear down" the embassy. The following evening, the ABC 7.30 programme aired footage of Sattler telling Shaw at the protest: "Abbott's just made a statement to the press that the Tent Embassy should be pulled down. He's over there". At a Senate Inquiry, Australian Federal Police commissioner Tony Negus testified that the Embassy had been considered in security planning but there was no warning of any risk. ==References==