Greens oppose motion condemning War Memorial graffiti

On Monday, July 1, Tasmanian Senator and former Defence Force member Jacqui Lambie moved a motion that the Senate condemn graffiti which defaced war memorials with pro-Palestine slogans.

Ms Lambie said it was "deeply insulting for current and former members of the Australian Defence Force" while undermining the significance of the memorials.

The motion drew the support of Coalition and Labor senators, however Greens senator Jordan Steele-John said his party would not support the motion, arguing that the graffiti was an act of free speech.

"If we are to believe that the men and women of the ADF gave their lives in wars and conflicts to defend such freedoms, then you have to engage with the reality that protesting and painting is a form of speech."

The stance drew a strong rebuke from Ms Lambie, who labelled the position "disgusting" while Labor senator Raff Ciccione said the stance of the Greens left senators "shocked but not surprised".

"Australians have a right to peaceful protest, but they do not have a right to vandalise, spray paint, desecrate or otherwise deface our memorials, particularly those to the men and women of our veterans community and the ADF," Mr Ciccione said.

The heated debate in the Parliament comes as the Greens step up pressure on the Albanese government over its handling of rogue Senator Fatima Payman, who crossed the floor to vote for a Greens motion to recognise the state of Palestine. The minor party is preparing to doorknock electorates across the country it believes Labor are vulnerable on the issue.

On Tuesday, Greens party leader Adam Bandt told reporters in Canberra the party was committed to its position.

"Those Labor MPs who talk up a big game in their electorate and then fall into line and vote to back an invasion of Gaza when they come up to Canberra need to be held accountable."

ACT Policing is investigating the graffiti incident, along with other slogans that were spray painted onto the Australian War Memorial earlier in June.

No charges have been laid.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said the Greens had voted against the motion, however it passed without the need for a vote.