The Victorian Greens say that the proposed anti-protest laws announced by the State Labor Government today are worrying as they could have a chilling effect on democracy and silence important voices like survivors of child sexual abuse and social, environmental and peace activists.
Labor's anti-protest laws could chill public debate on important issues and outlaw demonstrations like those of survivors of child abuse who have raised awareness by tying ribbons on the fence outside St Patrick's cathedral in Ballarat.
While the Greens MPs have condemned anti-Semitic and Islamophobic attacks, criminalising peaceful protest is not the right way to respond and sets a dangerous precedent.
The changes signal a continuation of a worrying anti-protest trend. Recent analysis shows that Australia jails climate protestors at a rate greater than any other country in the world, and the Victorian Greens are concerned that these laws could have an even more chilling effect on citizens ability to peacefully protest on social and environmental issues.
Peaceful protest plays a vital role as part of a healthy democracy and the Victorian Greens say they're concerned that these laws are a worrying overreach from Labor that will stop people's basic right to have their voice heard."
As stated by the Victorian Greens spokesperson for Justice, Katherine Copsey:
"In a rush to look like they're doing something, the State Labor Government has announced some very worrying anti-protest laws that seem designed to stop many peaceful demonstrations from going ahead and could ultimately silence important voices like survivors of child sexual abuse and social, environmental and peace activists.
"Peaceful protest plays a vital role in a healthy democracy. It's how we speak truth to power and can have our voices heard. These laws risk massive overreach and this kind of policy on the run could lead to perverse outcomes and have a chilling effect on our democracy."
