More Anti-Protest Laws: Harsher Penalties For Protests Blocking Railways
Image: Blockade Australia protestors blocking the Port of Newcastle. Image: Instagram, blockade.australia
The Minns government has today signalled their intent to enforce stronger sanctions for protests and peaceful demonstrations that taking place around railways — what they refer to as “irresponsible and disruptive activities”.
The new legislation, which will be introduced this week, is just one of a number of anti-protest regulations that have been introduced or proposed in recent months.
This most recent legislation would double the current penalties for obstructing a railway — a maximum fine of $22,000 or up to two years imprisonment, or both.
Minns said the addition of fines would send a message that blocking railway lines is not acceptable.
“Protests on railway lines are seriously dangerous and disruptive, and they are not tolerated in NSW,” he said.
“Train drivers, passengers travelling to work, and companies going about their business should not have to contend with protesters on the tracks – it’s that simple,” said Minns.
NSW Labor has already intensified the state’s anti-protest laws during their time in government, and have worked hard to make it more difficult for protests to occur legally.
Just last week, the NSW Supreme Court blocked peaceful action from climate advocates Rising Tide.
Laws stopping protests are ‘draconian’ and anti-democratic
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties and Greens spokesperson, Kobi Shetty, have both condemned the new laws as “draconian”.
“We remind all those elected to parliament that they have a sacred obligation to uphold democratic principles; including what they may consider “politically inconvenient” civil liberties and human rights, that make our country a liberal democracy. What we have seen under the Minns Government is the “white-anting” of civil liberties and human rights from within,” said President of NSWCCL, Timothy Roberts.
“We are living in extraordinary times. Our democracy will not irrevocably be damaged in one foul swoop – it will be a slow bleed, a death by a thousand tranches of repressive legislation being cemented together by populist narratives that seek to demonise and polarise”.
Roberts went on to say that the introduction of this legislation was undoing decades of work from campaigners who fought for a more inclusive and democratic community.
“What a shameful legacy to leave behind for the people of NSW.”
Shetty, also the member for Balmain, said the attack was a shameful, knee-jerk reaction, and criticised the government’s delay in releasing the findings of the review into the anti-protest laws, which were meant to be tabled in October.
“The so-called review of anti-protest laws has been exposed as a sham. This government has no intention of tabling its findings or repealing laws that the Supreme Court has found partially unconstitutional. Instead, they are expanding undemocratic laws to limit our fundamental right to protest,” said Shetty.
The Greens have recently introduced a Bill to repeal all anti-protest laws that have been passed since 2014.
