NSWCCL is calling for a NSW Legislative Council inquiry into whether Premier Chris Minns and Minister Catley misled the Parliament and public in order to pass the Places of Worship Bill and the Inciting Racial Hatred Bill.
Throughout the public debate on these Bills, NSWCCL along with many democracy and legal experts reiterated that the government was weaponising fear to push a draconian agenda that criminalises legitimate speech and protest.
Comments attributable to Timothy Roberts, President NSWCCL
“The Minns Labor Government has played right into the hands of those who concocted the caravan plot in using it to drive a repressive and fear-based legislative agenda that has further divided the community.
“NSWCCL is deeply concerned by reports that the Premier was aware the plot was a fabrication, not a real threat to lives, when citing it as a potential ‘mass casualty’ event which justified pushing through repressive laws that have eroded our democratic freedoms.
“The Premier used highly politicised language such as ‘terrorism’ that knowingly strikes fear in the hearts of our community, especially the Jewish community. This fear was used as a basis for taking away essential democratic rights to protest.
“The NSW Government introduced and passed highly restrictive and repressive legislation through the parliament in a two week period, without being subject to a parliamentary inquiry. This is highly unusual for such controversial legislation with far reaching impacts. The Premier needs to disclose what he knew, and when.”
“NSWCCL believes that laws must be repealed. At the very least, there must be an inquiry into whether the parliament was misled to secure the passage of the laws that banned protest near places of worship and criminalised speech.
“These laws will only further deepen division in our community and prevent us from identifying and rallying against those with hateful agendas.
"The Premier clearly has been irresponsible in pushing for legislative change so quickly and not letting the Police do their job.”
