IT has been a tough week for the State Government.
After yet another elaborate protest from activist group Extinction Rebellion at last week’s Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA), the government rushed through legislation to impose tougher penalties on protesters.
On Wednesday, traffic on North Terrace was halted in the CBD for about 90 minutes as a protester suspended themselves from the Morphett St Bridge.
The APPEA conference was being held just a stone’s throw away at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
You might not agree with Extinction Rebellion’s methods and you might not agree with their messaging, but the group has every right to express them through the form of protest.
Under the proposed new law, anyone who “intentionally or recklessly engages in conduct that obstructs the free passage of a public place” would face a potential three-month jail term and a $50,000 fine.
That’s an increase of about 66 times on the previous $750 fine. Needless to say, the changes were met with widespread condemnation both here, interstate and abroad.
The Human Rights Law Centre called for the Legislative Council to block the laws, stating that it would undermine South Australian’s rights to freedom of peaceful protest.
Amnesty International also denounced the proposed changes, stating that it followed a trend across the country in stymieing the right to protest.
Even the trade unions have spoken out against the anti-protest laws. Australian’s have the right to freedom of assembly, and while these laws don’t necessarily eradicate that, it certainly waters it down and increases the risk.
You have to question the timing of the rushed legislation, too. Just last year, Premier Peter Malinauskas consoled burnt-out paramedics on the steps of Parliament house as thousands joined alongside firefighters in calling for more resources.
That would ultimately be the platform the ALP ran with to return to power.
Even anti-vaccination mandate protests a few years ago didn’t attract this type of knee-jerk reaction.
As SA-Best MLC Frank Pangallo said last week, this is a slippery slope we are now going down.
