Damien Tudehope
Shadow Attorney General
After Monday night’s disgraceful scenes, and a week of open in-fighting, the Minns Labor Government has today voted to reject the NSW Liberals and Nationals plan to strengthen social cohesion and prevent professional protestors from wasting taxpayers’ money and repeatedly clogging up Sydney’s streets.
The Summary Offences and Other Legislation Amendment (Public Assemblies) Bill 2025 would have recalibrated the regulatory framework for public assemblies by:
- Requiring decision-makers to consider public amenity, social cohesion, economic impact, community disruption and the public cost of proposed protests.
- Providing clearer powers to police and courts to properly weigh these factors.
- Addressing repeat protests and the deliberate shielding of identity.
- Allowing for the recovery of policing costs where there is intentional and unreasonable disruption.
- Preserving the right to lawful protest while deterring conduct that imposes significant and unjustified costs on the wider community.
- Operating consistently with the implied freedom of political communication.
- Shadow Attorney General Damien Tudehope has said Labor’s opposition to sensible reforms would have ensured a greater balance between taxpayer money and the right to protest.
Unfortunately for the people of NSW, Chris Minns is unwilling to confront escalating disruption and rising community tensions because of the gaping divisions in his own party.
“Our Bill was a targeted, proportionate and carefully drafted reform to ensure the right to protest is balanced with the rights of the broader community,” Mr Tudehope said.
“Instead of backing stronger safeguards for public order and social cohesion, Chris Minns and Labor chose to vote against practical measures designed to protect everyday people.”
“Week after week, we have seen professional protestors repeatedly shut down Sydney’s streets which that harm CBD businesses, divide communities and stretch police resources.”
“Today was an opportunity for the Premier to put his money where his mouth is.”
“Instead of backing common-sense changes, the Premier caved in to the radical left flank in his own caucus and opposed our sensible reforms.”
“All week we have seen Labor divided, with Labor MPs openly defying the Premier, criticising his laws and even attacks on the hardworking men and women of the NSW Police Force.”
Labor’s refusal to take action on repeated protestors means that families, businesses and frontline police officers are left to bear the consequences of unchecked disruption.