$20m public liability insurance to rally in a park: How council red tape hinders the right to protest
Public gatherings stymied by bureaucracy, Australian Democracy Network and Deakin University researchers find Council red tape is stymieing the right to protest, a report has said, after a regional New South Wales council told a protest organiser they needed a $20m public liability insurance policy to hold a rally in a park. A report released on Wednesday, co-authored by Australian Democracy…
A new report co-authored by the Australian Democracy Network and Deakin University's Centre for Law as Protection has highlighted the challenges faced by protesters in Australia due to excessive council red tape. The study found that councils in regional New South Wales have been requiring protest organizers to obtain a $20 million public liability insurance policy to hold rallies in parks.
The report raises concerns about the power some councils have to impose financial penalties on individuals who hold public gatherings without a permit. This bureaucratic hurdle is hindering the right to protest, as highlighted by the Australian Democracy Network and Deakin University's findings.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Guardian Australia's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
