Dr Lee Ann Coaldrake said her high-profile husband supported climate change action after she appeared in court for the first time as part of a 14-strong Extinction Rebellion group.

They are accused of disturbing Queensland parliament after allegedly holding a Question Time protest on November 30, 2022.

They were on Wednesday allowed bail on the condition that they do “not enter to within the fenceline” of Parliament House as supporters sang, danced and held banners outside Brisbane Magistrates Court.

Coaldrake’s husband is former Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake.

He led a culture and accountability review of the Annastacia Palaszczuk government’s public sector.

The premier pledged to accept in full the 14 recommendations in his June 2022 report.

Lee Coaldrake – a retired anaesthetist – is now among 14 activists aged between 24 and 82 who have been charged with disturbing the legislature.

Asked what her husband thought of her arrest, Coaldrake told media outside court: “I don’t think my husband has got anything to do with it.

“Actually no one asked me what I thought about his (integrity) report.

“We have been married for 45 years. We run our own races.”

But asked if he supported her protest, Coaldrake said: “He is supportive of the need for urgent action on climate change but so are the Australian people.

“I think the only people nowadays who don’t realise the urgency, scale or severity of climate change and the need to act immediately are governments.”

The 14 activists are accused of unfurling banners and chanting “stop gas, stop coal” in the public gallery last November.

It reportedly marked the first time in 30 years that anyone in Queensland had been charged with disturbing the legislature.

“There is a general overreach I think across Australia by governments, state and federal, who are trying to silence climate protesters,” Coaldrake said.

“The 14 of us are in solidarity. What we have in common is a belief in the science … (about) what the future holds for our children and grandchildren.

“That’s why we are here. It’s not about the court or us being punished. We are here because we are not acting appropriately or urgently enough on climate change.”

One of the activists, Miree Le Roy, claimed that there was a similar Queensland parliament protest in 2018 but no charges were laid.

“What has happened between 2018 and now is that climate change has very clearly gotten worse,” she told reporters.

“It’s very interesting that there is such a crackdown on people who are trying to bring attention and get action on climate change.”

Another activist Wendy Hawksworth said their group’s protests were always peaceful and non-violent.

“We are not criminals by any stretch of the imagination,” she said.

The 14 activists will next appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on February 15.

Asked if they would fight the charge, Ms Le Roy said: “Of course, absolutely.”