Today, the NSW Premier Chris Minns has refused to appear before the NSW Legislative Council’s inquiry into the handling of the Dural Caravan incident. 

It was revealed in a previous hearing with NSW Police that the Premier and the Police Minister were briefed ‘very early on’ that the incident was like a criminal hoax, yet the Premier continued to use language of ‘mass casualty event’ and ‘terrorism’ in media related to the events.

This and other incidents were used as justification to pass a series of repressive laws including the Places of Worship Act, which restricts protest ‘at or near places of worship’ and is having its constitutionality tested before the NSW Supreme Court from Thursday, and the Inciting Racial Hatred Act.

Comments attributable to Timothy Roberts, President NSWCCL 

“Chris Minns should be ashamed at his disregard for the health of our democracy here in NSW. After acting so irresponsibly in passing these repressive laws - Minns will not, or cannot, defend them.

“After playing right into the hands of those who concocted the caravan plot and using it to rush a repressive and fear-based legislative agenda, Chris Minns will not, or cannot defend those laws before the parliamentary inquiry. 

“This is just another example of Premier Chris Minns’ disregard for our democracy. It should be of deep concern to all NSW residents that his government is refusing to answer questions from their elected representatives in parliament. 

“It is appalling that the Premier and Police Minister have led the passing of laws criticised as being authoritarian, and then relied on executive power, liberties denied the rest of the citizens of NSW, in refusing to front up to a Parliamentary Inquiry that would otherwise assist in restoring community faith in our democratic processes”