'Blinky' The Burning Koala Rallies On The Steps Of Parliament For The Right To Protest

A bike riding Koala with smoke billowing from its ears, has been riding the steps of parliament.

'Blinky' the burning koala seen terrifying workers and passers-by in Melbourne was in fact a giant puppet rolled out by the Extinction Rebellion team.

The snap rally from the global environmental movement, is protesting a proposal to toughen the penalties for those interrupt logging sites across the state.

The new penalties would be facing 12 months jail and a $21,000 fine.

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Victorian Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the Sustainable Forests Timber Amendment Bill will bring enforcement measures up to date, deterring people from protesting in timber harvesting safety zones.

"Protests are becoming increasingly dangerous — particularly for workers — which is why this legislation will support them to get on with their job and minimise disruption to the industry,” she said.

While Victorian Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe who is adamantly opposed to native logging said she will protest logging on her traditional lands despite proposed changes to the law.

"I will challenge any fine like I have in the past," she told the ABC earlier this month.

"I will take it to the highest court, and I will take it to the United Nations because that is my right as a sovereign Gunnai woman," she said.

"We've had fishing fines [about] 10 to 15 years ago — we challenged those, and we won, because we are sovereign people on our own lands."

- Senator Thorpe

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