Page 97 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 11 February 2020
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reported by the Guardian, “mandatory prison terms for second protest offences” and “a new offence of ‘unlawful assembly’ for gatherings of three or more” people.
As Ms Le Couteur outlined very well today, protest movements are a vital mechanism for effecting positive change in human societies. They form a necessary part of the ongoing public conversation about who we are and who we want to be. They get people thinking. We will all be the poorer in the long run if peaceful public protest is withered on the vine by unnecessary, punitive and undemocratic legislation.
I thank Ms Le Couteur for bringing this issue forward today. It is important to have these sorts of discussions from time to time. I think it is well within order. It is appropriate to reflect on these matters—what is happening in Australia and the sort of proposals that could come forward in the ACT. It is important that we resist those, now and into the future.
I think Canberra residents value the right to protest. They recognise that there can be limitations on that at times. We see it on the lawns of Parliament House, where there is a really clear protest zone, and there are some limitations around that as well. I think people respect those differences, just as I think, unlike the example Mrs Dunne cited about protecting people around medical facilities, there is a reasonable limitation there. At the same time creating an offence of unlawful assembly for gatherings of three or more clearly is not the sort of standard we would expect.
As I said I thank Ms Le Couteur for bringing this forward. I look forward to seeing many more colourful protests in the ACT over the years for a whole range of reasons, some of which I expect I will agree with, and some I am sure I will not, and that continued ability for our citizens to express their views.
Discussion concluded.
Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee
Scrutiny report 38
MRS JONES (Murrumbidgee) (5.05): I present the following report:
Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee (Legislative Scrutiny Role)—Scrutiny Report 38, dated 4 February 2020, together with a copy of the extracts of the relevant minutes of proceedings.
I seek leave to make a brief statement.
Leave granted.
MRS JONES: Scrutiny report No 38 contains the committee’s comments on four bills, proposed amendments to the Electoral Legislation Amendment Bill 2019, 29 pieces of subordinate legislation, one regulatory impact statement and five government responses. The report was circulated to members when the Assembly was not sitting. I commend the report to the Assembly.
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