Televised interview transcript

Sophie McCabe: Hello Senator, and thank you for being here tonight.

TheSensibleCentre: Thank you for having me on.

SM: I'd like to ask you about something that happened just a few minutes before we went on air. Something you may not have had the chance to see yet. The Attorney-General has released a statement in which he says -- and bear with me, this is a long one:

Any protesters, including members of the federal youth advisory group, who attend these blockades will be arrested and charged in accordance with Australia's anti-terror laws, any may face up to 20 years in jail.

Lucy has even promised to pay the legal fees of everyone arrested at the port blockade, well lucy if the blockade goes ahead you just might run out of money, and you indeed will be the first one to be arrested. Our brave boys in the Australia federal police have been dispatched form across the country to protect our ports and arrest anyone who tries to disrupt there operations, including senators and members of the federal youth advisory group.

SM: How do you respond to that?

TSC: Well, quite frankly, I think it is disgusting that right now, we've got an Attorney-General who is going out of his way to stand up and threaten to arrest kids. Look, I'm a thorn in this government's side, so it hardly surprises me that Youma is sending her henchmen to issue these threats against me.

But to issue those threats against the youth of our nation? To threaten them with 20 years in prison, essentially threatening to take away their childhood and the prime of their life? It is disgusting, and he should be ashamed.

I mean here you have on one hand, Youmaton going up in the Blue Room and saying it's so important that we get around and say kumbayah, you know, we all get along peacefully. Then you've got her Attorney-General, saying with his whole chest that he intends to arrest political opponents of the government, and that he intends to arrest children.

How would anyone feel if their 16 year old daughter, who was only trying to ensure she has a future, was arrested? How would they feel knowing that, because of the SDP government, they wouldn't see her for another two decades.

SM: One moment, we're getting some breaking news. We can confirm that the Prime Minister has stated the statement has been retracted, and that it was made in error.

TSC: scoffs. Made in error! No, the only error here is that the mask slipped. The Attorney-General told us what he really thinks -- which is that he wants to lock your kids up -- and now Youmaton thinks she can hide that away, stuff it under the rug. If so, she can prove it by sacking the AG and demanding his resignation from Parliament.

In the meantime, in the face of this threat, I think really, the only thing that the parents of this nation can do is come out to the protests. Come out and support your kids. Stand by them so that the Attorney-General's thugs can't arrest them and throw them in a cell to rot for twenty years.

The interview continues, but takes on a lighter tone