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Interactive Policy Experience

Protest built this country. Now it can cost you $22,000.

The eight-hour day, votes for women, the Franklin River — all won on the street. New anti-protest laws now threaten peaceful protestors with tens of thousands in fines and years in jail. Our plan protects the right to show up.

Transparency & AccountabilityThe Right to Protest

22,000Dollar fine for blocking a road in NSW2022–25 laws cover roads, rail, tunnels, bridges and industrial estates — passed with both major parties’ support.
2yrsJail exposure for a peaceful protestFor marching where a government would rather you didn’t.
1Police declaration bans a protest zonePARDs strip legal protections from authorised protests across whole areas.
0Charter of rights federallyAustralia has no national human-rights act protecting assembly. Our plan anchors one.

Could you afford to protest?

Pick a protest and watch what today’s laws could charge you for it.

Penalties as legislated in NSW, 2022–2025.

The plan at a glance

Protect peaceful assembly

A clear legislated right to protest in public spaces — inconvenience is not a crime.

Repeal the outlier penalties

Wind back disproportionate fines and jail terms aimed at peaceful protestors.

End blanket bans

No police-declared no-protest zones that strip protections from authorised assemblies.

Stop the surveillance

Peaceful protestors are not a national-security threat and won’t be watched like one.

The same march, two futures

A peaceful, disruptive, democratic march — handled two ways.

Criminalised — today

  • Up to $22,000 in fines and 2 years’ jail in NSW
  • Blanket bans by police declaration
  • Ongoing surveillance of peaceful organisers
  • Both major parties voted for it

Protected — our plan

  • Peaceful assembly protected in law
  • Penalties proportionate to actual harm, not inconvenience
  • No blanket zones, no protest permits by veto
  • No surveillance of lawful dissent

The full policy

Word for word — the platform as our members wrote it.

The Issues

Five state governments have passed new laws with powers to put protesters in jail and face large fines, as well as to enable police to effectively ban public congregations.

The right to peaceful assembly and protest allows Australians to express their views and push for legal, political, and social change. Australia has a proud history of protest leading to change, including for female suffrage, the eight-hour working day, the preservation of the Franklin River, and the recognition of Aboriginal land rights.

Our Plan

The Australian Government should pass legislation to protect the right to peaceful assembly and protest. This should include:

  • Preserving the right to peaceful assembly and protest in public spaces.

  • Ensuring peaceful protestors are not subject to ongoing surveillance.

  • Ensuring peaceful protestors are not penalised for inconvenience or disruptions to everyday life.

The Evidence

State governments have passed a number of laws in recent years that put significant penalties in place for peaceful protest:

NSW: The NSW Government passed laws in 2022 and 2025 introducing fines of up to $22,000 and jail for up to two years for protesting on public roads, rail lines, tunnels, bridges and industrial estates. The laws passed with the support of both major parties. Police can issue Public Assembly Restriction Declarations (PARD) that create “blanket bans” on authorised protests in certain areas (e.g. city centres, religious sites), removing legal protections for participants.

Victoria: The Victorian Government passed laws in 2022 introducing fines of over $21,000 and jail time of up to 12 months for interfering with timber harvesting operations.

South Australia: The SA Government passed laws in 2023 introducing fines of $50,000 and prison sentencing of 3 months for “conduct that obstructs the free passage of a public place”. The laws were introduced into the SA Parliament by Premier Peter Malinauskas the day after protests were staged around the Australian Petroleum and Exploration Association (APPEA) annual conference on 17 May 2023. The laws passed with the support of both major parties.

Queensland: The Queensland Government passed laws in 2019 banning devices which allow protestors to lock themselves on to a location, with prison sentences of up to 2 years for the use of such devices.

Tasmania: The Tasmanian Government passed laws in 2022 introducing potential sentencing of 12 months in prison for obstructing access to a workplace as part of a protest. Additionally, an organisation supporting members of the community to protest could be fined over $45,000.

The right to protest is a cornerstone of a robust civil society that holds the powerful to account.

— David Mejia-Canales, Human Rights Law Centre

References

  • The Conversation — With more restrictive laws across the country, how can we protect the right to protest? (Feb 2026).

  • The Mandarin — What Australia gets wrong about the right to protest (30 Aug 2023).

  • Sydney Morning Herald — Supreme Court overturns NSW’s tough anti-protest laws (13 Dec 2023).

  • The Guardian — Victoria passes laws raising penalties for environmental protesters at logging sites (5 Aug 2022).

  • ABC News — South Australia’s Protest Laws are Changing. Here’s How (2 Jun 2023).

  • Human Rights Law Centre — Explainer: SA’s proposed anti-protest laws.

  • Human Rights Law Centre — Declaration calls for governments to protect protest.

  • New Republic — Meet the Shadowy Network Vilifying Climate Protestors (Sep 2023).

Make it happen.

Policies like this only become law when enough people push. Push with us.

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