Australia’s Deputy PM Defends MP’s Right to Attend Legal Anti-Lockdown Demonstrations

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on June 21, 2021. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has defended the right of National Party colleague George Christensen MP to protest as part of the July 24 “freedom rallies” held around Australia.

The protests, which saw thousands of Australians march through a number of capital cities, were a reaction to several state governments’ COVID-19 lockdowns.