‘Undemocratic, based on lies’: Court challenge to stop anti-protest laws
The NSW government’s controversial laws banning protests near places of worship are being challenged in the Supreme Court, with Premier Chris Minns also facing a parliamentary inquiry into whether he misled MPs and the public over a criminal hoax that sparked new legislation.
The Palestine Action Group filed a constitutional challenge in court on Monday against the anti-protest laws, which were hastily pushed through parliament last month following the discovery of an explosive-laden caravan in Dural and a spate of other antisemitic attacks.
Hate speech laws were also rushed through parliament in February on the back of the discovery, but it has since emerged that the caravan and a host of other antisemitic attacks were a “con job” carried out by crime lords.
Premier Chris Minns has ruled out repealing laws which were passed in the wake of antisemitic attacks.Credit: Steven Siewert
Josh Lees, from the action group, said Minns rushed through “undemocratic laws, based on lies”. The laws are due to come into effect on June 2 and the group’s lawyers have asked for an expedited court hearing.
“Everyone in NSW should be outraged at this scandal and the cover-up that Chis Minns and this government is now engaging in to try and hide their deliberate deception of the parliament and the people,” Lees said.
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Greens MP for Balmain Kobi Shetty will introduce a repeal bill on Tuesday to unwind the anti-protest laws, while the NSW Council for Civil Liberties is urging MPs to support an upper house inquiry into whether Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley misled the parliament and the public into order to pass the protest and hate speech bills.
The premier has said he was informed of the organised crime suspicions in “the earliest stages” of the investigation but has insisted the revelation was immaterial given the series of antisemitic attacks in Sydney. Catley has not revealed when she was told.
Minns will return to a parliament sitting week on Tuesday amid growing unrest among Labor backbenchers, which was further fanned last week by Catley’s stunning slapdown of ALP colleague Stephen Lawrence.
