Political slogans scrawled on the side of ambulances have landed paramedics in court. The slogans criticise the Baird government's changes to death and disability insurance for paramedics.

Late on Tuesday afternoon, the Health Services union which represents ambulance officers was called before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission to explain the liquid chalk protest messages.

HSU Secretary Gerard Hayes appeared before the industrial commission to explain the "civil disobedience" and said that despite Health Minister Jillian Skinner saying she wants workers to speak out about problems in the health system, "yet when we make our voice heard, we have to explain it before the Industrial Relations Commission," Mr Hayes said.

He went on to say that he was "proud of the spirited, robust campaign being run by grass roots paramedics to make the public aware of the government's intention."

Many politicians and commentators including Green MP David Shoebridge and Stephen Blanks, president of the NSW Council of Civil Liberties, said: "It is not unreasonable to use chalk to mark property in a way that does not permanently damage the property in order to make a political communication.

"The freedom to make political communication is a constitutionally protected freedom."

Article: HSU called before NSW Industrial Relations Commission to defend chalk

Source: The Courier