David Sharaz banned from National Press Club following GetUp’s Pauline Hanson stunt
Updated . First published at
David Sharaz, who is being investigated for his role in a protest stunt that disrupted Pauline Hanson’s address to the National Press Club, has been banned from the institution.
The National Press Club claimed Sharaz filmed the moment a banner came down during the One Nation leader’s speech on June 17 before promptly leaving the room.
A screen descends behind One Nation leader Pauline Hanson at the National Press Club in June. Getty Images
Sharaz is a representative of the activist group GetUp that claimed responsibility for the incident and the husband of former political staffer Brittany Higgins.
The National Press Club chief executive Maurice Reilly on Wednesday confirmed he has declined Sharaz’s membership application and banned him from all events.
“He is not welcome at the club in the future,” he said in a statement.
Sharaz has received no contact regarding a change to his membership application.
Hanson was making her first address to the National Press Club in her 30-year political career when a banner unfurled behind her.
“I opposed a pay rise for workers while I took a $100,000 pay rise for myself,” the banner read.
The National Press Club alleged that two people broke into the Canberra building and installed a drop-down screen in front of its media wall and light box.
The banner came down once it was activated by a remote device.
National Press Club staff remove a screen which was lowered as Pauline Hanson spoke. Getty Images
GetUp, which claimed credit for the stunt, said it was their rare opportunity to get their message across.
“We don’t do stunts for the sake of it. The National Press Club was Hanson’s moment – the biggest platform she’s ever had, with every major media outlet in the room,” the group wrote in an email.
“We don’t get many chances to put her real record in front of the entire country at the exact moment she’s performing her battler routine. So today, we took that chance.”
The National Press Club alleged Sharaz had filmed the incident and left during the commotion.
ACT Policing is continuing to investigate the alleged unauthorised access and interference with equipment at the National Press Club.
Reilly said he will assess whether to pursue legal action following the outcome of the investigation.
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