Canberra Liberals’ Mark Parton has been kicked out of the ACT Legislative Assembly on Thursday (2 July) for failing to remove a TikTok video. Photo: Screenshot from TikTok.
The Canberra Liberals’ Mark Parton has been kicked out of the ACT Legislative Assembly for refusing to remove a TikTok video and saying that Speaker Joy Burch was “destroying democracy”.
The first video posted by Mr Parton showed him eating chicken satay and drinking Coke in his Assembly office and included footage of the first floor of the Assembly. Mr Parton commented on how good his lunch smelled while narrating comments from former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope supporting the Liberals’ million trees policy.
Speaker Joy Burch sent out an email to all members of the Assembly reminding them about the video guidelines, which prompted Mr Parton to post a second video, titled “Don’t destroy democracy”.
Ms Burch said the video implied she did not support democracy and demanded that he withdraw the comments.
“The broadcasting guidelines state members must seek and obtain permission to take still photos of the Assembly, and even when permission is sought and granted, filming must not be used for electioneering,” Ms Burch said.
“In my view, using the photographs of the Assembly facility to promote a Liberal party election policy is a clear breach of these guidelines.
“The implication in the second video is that I am opposed to democracy and that I am not being impartial in my duties in singling out Mr Parton.”
Mr Parton withdrew his comments but refused to take down the second video. He said that he was still seeking advice after taking down the first video, which displayed the Assembly.
“I would like to apologise for stepping outside of those broadcast guidelines. We have deleted the videos which feature the footage from inside the chamber, but I am continuing to seek advice on the second video,” Mr Parton said.
Mr Parton, a prolific social media user, was subsequently removed from the Assembly for three hours. He’s since conceded that both videos must be removed.
“I will be nipping this in the bud and complying with the Speakers’ direction before 5 pm this afternoon”, he told Region Media.
“But I am somewhat dismayed that as a Parliament we have wasted so much time on this when I would have thought it would have been better directed trying to assist people in Canberra.
“I am a little perplexed that it got anyone’s attention.
“In this COVID period, all politicians have been very much hamstrung in our ability to connect with people, we cannot doorknock we could not go to shopping centres for many months, elected members should have gone out of their way to find different ways to connect with people.
“That is one of the reasons I took up TikTok, it is the fastest growing social media platform in the world by far and I think it is worthwhile connecting with that audience.
Ms Burch said that speakers must only be criticised through a substantive motion, referring to examples when previous MLAs had criticised the Speaker in the media, before having to withdraw the comments or issue an apology.
She said she was only enforcing the Assembly’s guidelines.
Memes played a powerful part in the 2020 Federal election. Photo: Supplied.
The incident came on the same day that a new book from ANU researcher Dr Lucien Leon examines the impact memes had in the 2019 Federal election.
“Meme combine pithy slogans with powerful imagery. It is material that can make or break today’s campaigns,” Dr Leon said.
“The visual satire produced and disseminated throughout the campaign not only presented a clear and critical engagement with events as they transpired, but also provided a reliable gauge of the electoral mood.”
With less than four months until the Territory’s election, Mr Parton may well continue to employ the tactics of his Federal counterparts.
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Joyless is no defender of democracy I would have to say lots of pots and kettles in that place.
Lol a Liberal saying others are killing democracy. How ironic.
Charlie Church what a timeline to be in
Sheridan New honestly would trade it for anything right now.
And the liberals wonder why they can’t get elected in the ACT when they have idiots like this representing them. He complains about the waste of time spent on this when HE was the cause of it. 🤦🏼‍♀️
So Parton makes a video showing they they need Stanhope to do Coe’s job because Coe is so hopeless. The Canberra Liberals are just embarrassing themselves now.
So even he admits he broke the rules.
And is a big fan of TikTok which is often claimed to be a Chinese Government tool for gathering information.
He has managed to achieve something I thought was impossible. I actually agree with Ms Burch.
I’d love to see a change in the ACT government, but with members like Mr Parton it seems yet again the Liberals are doing everything they can to stay in opposition.
This guy is being paid by us to carry on like this. Very poor decision by those who voted for him.
How can Ali Coe top that?
Maybe he should go back to radio if he wants to stay in the public eye!!
Geoff Richardson oh no he was so painful there too!
I’m surprised you deleted my post. Many other posts have said almost exactly what I said.
I’ll say it again. The man is a clown.
Pretty sure he is not the target demographic for TikTok.
Gabriel an Australian politician? Oh he probably is.
A publicity stunt from a former radio announcer? Who would have thunk?
Larry Appley certainly adores the sound of his own voice does this one.
“But I am somewhat dismayed that as a Parliament we have wasted so much time on this when I would have thought it would have been better directed trying to assist people in Canberra.”
You were advised what you had done was not acceptable and yet you continued. The speaker has followed the rules of the Assembly, she is doing her job.
There are many very good reasons unauthorised photography is not permitted in government buildings around the world. The Australian Parliament House applies the same rules as do most workplaces…take a moment and think why.
If you think what has happed to you, which is all your own doing, is destroying democracy, wait until you discover what is currently happening in Hong Kong.
This is crazy. Why do we have elections? Just wondering
Canberrans pride themselves on being the smartest, most educated and progressive jurisdiction in the country. The Canberra Liberals are now going into 20 years in opposition. COVID19 means that we only have one sitting day per month in the Assembly and Mark Parton pulls this little stunt. Do Canberrans seriously believe that the Canberra Liberals have any policies and are an alternative government with the skill sets, expertise and comprehension needed to run this city. I think not.
Labour had no need to worry .....
thankyou - lol - need to check spellcheck before posting
Yes... Very sad...
This is my elected representative. However don’t go to him with problems, I was told “Sorry can’t help that’s not within my portfolio”. Well voting for him come October is not within my portfolio…
My experience too.
Tik Tok? Isn’t that for kids? 🤷‍♂️
The “guidelines” in question – which are clearly fundamental to democracy as we know it – probably go back to the clause in the Magna Carta which states that “the King shall not taketh selfies while partaking of Lampreys in the Royal Chamber”.