Protest petition as outcry grows

LEGAL, Aboriginal, civil liberties, environmental groups and the Greens have launched a petition and a protest against proposed new anti-protest laws which they say are unconstitutional, too broad, anti-democratic, unnecessary and unworkable.

The State Government has introduced new legislation into parliament to fix problems with its first attempt, which was ruled invalid by the High Court.

The court described that legislation as overly broad, vague, confusing and exhibiting “Pythonesque absurdity”.

The new laws include heavy penalties and jail terms of up to four years for people who interfere with business operations or even threaten to do so.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the right to protest was an integral part of Tasmanian democracy.

“It’s been part of Tasmania’s story for the longest time: the Franklin, Wesley Vale, the pulp mill, Ralphs Bay. We treasure here our right to peaceful protest. There’s a bill coming before the Tasmanian parliament for debate that would take away that right to peaceful protest, alienate Tasmanians from their own lands and waters. It’s a dog of a bill that attempts to patch up an Act.”

The state director of Civil Liberties Australia, Richard Griggs said the laws were an assault on democracy.

“These laws are illiberal, they’re unjust and they’re dangerous,” he said.

“They’re illiberal because they attempt to use the apparatuses of the state to shield business from legitimate criticism from the community. They are unjust because they harshly punish community members who do no more than gather on public land to peacefully protest and to speak truth to power. Ultimately they are dangerous because the message they send to the community is that the government is saying you should sit down, be quiet, and trust us.”

Lawyer Roland Browne said he wasn’t sure the laws would stand up to another legal challenge.

“Protest has a very important role to play in our society and the High Court recognised that. These laws were struck down by the High Court in 2017 because they were so broad, they were vague, they were impossible to enforce. Nothing has really changed.”

Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre spokeswoman Sara Maynard said her community held many peaceful protests “because we’re able to have a view that’s different from the government”.

“We’re outraged, we’re concerned, we don’t want any more Aboriginal people being locked up, because the incarceration rates of Aboriginal people in this country are just horrific,” she said.

Longtime environmental campaigner Bob Brown said the government's aim was to stifle dissent.

“I’m very aware the that the government’s agenda is to privatise people’s natural environment in Tasmania for the big end of town,” he said.

A copy of the petition can be found on the State Parliament website. The protest will be held at noon on Monday on the parliament lawns.