I was arrested on Monday (15 September) for the first time in my life, for occupying the office of my local MP, the Labor member for Fraser, Daniel Mulino.

Given my arrest was motivated by the need to act about the atrocities being carried out by Israel in Gaza, I feel a sense of sober and sad vindication that the UN Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday that Israel is committing genocide.

In particular, I was protesting because Australia is complicit in this genocide.

I’ve been an activist for more than 40 years, but even as part of the Franklin River blockade, during so many forest, climate and human rights campaigns over the decades, I have moved on when requested.

But not on Monday.

There were a dozen of us who filled Dr Mulino’s foyer and more protesting out the front, delivering a letter that called on him and the government to do more about the genocide in Gaza. Mulino wasn’t there, and his staff hid out the back for the most part. We occupied his office for 4½ hours. We read the letter, played war sounds from Gaza, chanted our hearts out, read poetry; read the names of all the journalists that Israel has murdered, and got the whole street on board.

After the hours we occupied his office, my arrest was very quick. There were two of us who refused to move on when asked by police. We were told that we would be arrested for trespass and escorted outside. Which is what happened. Then they let us go. Catch and release is the term I’m told. We will receive a summons at a later date.

Australia is complicit in genocide

Being part of this protest was not something I did lightly. I know from being a Senator the impact that protests at MPs’ offices have. But I can’t stay silent. Under international law, as established by the Genocide Convention, all countries are obligated to act to prevent and punish genocide. This obligation extends to enacting domestic legislation and supporting international efforts like those of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, and not only refrain from committing genocide, but also take positive steps to prevent it from occurring.

But instead of acting to prevent genocide, our government has continued to allow the export of parts of F-35 bombers to Israel via the US. The Future Fund continues to invest in companies like Elbit Systems who are manufacturing the drones being used to murder Palestinians. Australians continue to serve with the Israeli Defence Forces. There have been no sanctions affecting broader economic or diplomatic ties.

Our protest called on the government to sanction Israel like we have sanctioned Russia, end trade with and stop arming Israel and end diplomatic ties with Israel. Sanctions speak louder than words.

Recognition of Palestine is not enough. Words are not enough. Israel is murdering hundreds of innocent people every week including children, health workers and journalists. Entire communities are being erased. This week, despite the UN Commission report and lots of tut-tutting from governments around the world including our own, Israel is proceeding with their bombing, their annihilation, their ethnic cleansing of Gaza City.

Our government has shown it can act when it chooses to. Australia has sanctioned Russia for its illegal invasion of Ukraine including prohibiting the exports of goods related to Russian oil production, bans on drones and related components and travel bans and financial sanctions on more than 1400 individuals and entities.

The power of peaceful civil disobedience

I know Mulino, he’s a nice bloke. I worked with him in Parliament, including campaigning for freedom for Tibet. But on Palestine he is missing in action like the rest of the Labor Government. He has refused to meet local residents and community groups to discuss the genocide and actions that Australia could take to pressure Israel to end the killings.

I have personally requested a meeting with him and have not even received the courtesy of a reply. He has told others that his diary is full until next year.

Our occupation was an act of peaceful civil disobedience, as part of a series of actions occupying Labor MPs’ offices across the country, to break their silence, and to emphasise to them that by not acting, they are complicit in the sickening and brutal genocide.

Monday was also International Day of Democracy. In contrast to the government’s protestations that peaceful protests at MPs’ offices somehow undermine social cohesion, I consider that participating in this protest and being arrested, attempting to make our government listen to us, their constituents, was a very appropriate way of marking it. Elected representatives meeting their constituents is a cornerstone of our democracy. If we want people to trust in our democracy, then MPs have to be responsive. If they are not, then they can expect to be inconvenienced by protests.

We are powerful

We must not give in to the lie that we are powerless and be immobilised by our despair. We can, and must, apply more pressure to get our government to act. The majority of the Australian population is sickened by the killing and starvation of children and innocent people. They want our government to take strong action and to work with other countries to take action that will force Israel to stop the genocide. Actions like Spain has recently taken: banning ships carrying fuel for the Israeli army from docking in Spanish ports, and barring entry to individuals “directly involved in genocide, human rights violations and war crimes” in Gaza, a prohibition that could apply to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government.

In contrast, our government is ignoring protests inside and outside the parliament calling on them to take actions like these. My experience over a decade as a Senator tells me that if the government won’t listen, then we have to increase the pressure and make them act. Our occupation and my arrest was my next step from my activism in the Senate, walking out of the Senate holding up a Palestinian flag; being ejected from the House of Representatives protesting about human rights in the Philippines.

I can only hope and pray that the government starts listening to the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry yesterday and the escalating protests including the one that I was part of on Monday.

Because, until our government acts meaningfully to help stop the genocide in Palestine, peaceful civil disobedience and disrupting business as usual is what good people need to do.

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.