It is the right of any person or organisation to petition Parliament. Petitions generally express views on matters of public policy and ask the Parliament to take—or, in some cases, not to take—a particular course of action.
The presentation of a petition to the Senate is a proceeding in Parliament and is protected by parliamentary privilege. The publication of a petition before presentation is not similarly protected. (See Chapter 2, Australian Senate Practice, Parliamentary Privilege, Circulation of petitions.)