NSW Council for Civil Liberties, Human Rights Law Centre and Australian Democracy Network
are deeply concerned about the heavy-handed police repression of a peaceful protest near
Port Botany yesterday evening.

The protest, organised by Unionists for Palestine, consisted of a group of about 400, with
children and elderly people in attendance, making speeches and marching. Police did not allow
the protest to march on the road and instead directed it onto a roadside path leading to Sirius
Rd near the entrance of Port Botany. No vehicles were attempting to enter via this road during
this time.

When the protest paused near this driveway and protestors were peacefully sitting on the
ground, police issued move on orders and began arresting attendees. Legal observers and
others on the scene did not witness a reason being given for the move on orders.

NSW Council for Civil Liberties was born out of a protest movement in 1963 and we continue to honour the legacy of the Council’s members who fought against police brutality and for equal rights. Our proud history is built around grassroots action.

Today, we proudly stand beside over sixty civil liberty and human rights organisations that have endorsed the “Declaration of our Right to Protest” which has been developed by the Human Rights Law Centre and in consultation with activists and advocates from around the country.

Sign the petition here.

The NSW Council for Civil Liberties has made a submission to the Duty of Care Bill (Climate Change Amendment - Duty of Care and Intergenerational Climate Equity Bill 2023) inquiry.

Australia’s climate change framework currently leaves the Commonwealth unable to properly manage the development of emissions intensive activities. We need decision makers to be compelled to consider the health and wellbeing of current and future children when determining what is acceptable.

We are making our submissions on this Bill on the same day as the “School Students 4 Climate Strike” and are proud to endorse and support the voices of young people on this issue. The Council supports this Bill, and we urge the Commonwealth Government to support it as well.

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

16 November 2023

Dear Prime Minister,

We write as Presidents of Australia’s leading, membership based human rights and civil society organisations, about the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. We are non-political, non-religious and non-sectarian.

Since October 7, 2023, Australians have witnessed over 12,520 people die in the ongoing conflict in Palestine (including the Israeli civilians), with approximately 11,320 of these deaths caused by Israel’s military operation in Gaza. Alarmingly, an estimated 40% of these deaths have been children.

There is no safe place for children in Gaza to seek shelter. Schools, refugee camps, places of worship and hospitals have been hit by bombs. Thousands of children remain missing as entire neighbourhoods have been destroyed. The number of child deaths have exceeded the number of children who have died in all global conflict zones since 2019. 

"My name is David McBride. I am facing 50 years in prison for blowing the whistle on the Australian Defence Force's unethical, harmful and highly politicised leadership which fostered a culture of impunity in Afghanistan."

David McBride is in court this week. McBride served two tours in Afghanistan as a military lawyer, in 2011 and 2013. When he became aware of serious, systemic issues within the Australian Defence Force, he spoke up internally, and then to the police, and then to the minister. Finally, he went to the media, becoming the source for the ABC’s Afghan Files reporting. Both McBride and the ABC were completley vindicated in November 2020 by the Brereton report which shone a damning spotlight on allegations of horrific war crimes.

NSWCCL has repeatedly called on the attorney general to use his extraordinary powers to intervene and end the prosecution. We are profoundly disappointed that the AG has determined that this prosecution is in the public interest. It is NOT. Whistleblowers who bring information to light must not be subjected to a public show of prosecution under the guise of national security, or be censored because their story may cause embarrassment or cost to those in power. This case proves yet again that whistleblowers are not adequately protected in Australia. 

Tamsin Rose: A move to overhaul the law criminalising hate speech in New South Wales following clashes across Sydney amid community tensions over the Israel-Hamas war has sparked debate over the limits of freedom of speech.

The NSW premier, Chris Minns, this week ordered a review of the 2018 law that made it a crime to threaten or incite violence based on race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, because to date crimes under the laws had never been successfully prosecuted.

The NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) is concerned regarding media reports today that the Premier is moving to tighten the NSW Crimes Act seemingly in response to lobbyists from faith-based organisations.  

NSW Council for Civil Liberties welcomes the introduction today of the Clean Up Politics Act to improve the transparency and honesty in dealings between lobbyists and Government representatives.

The Clean Up Politics Act has been driven by the hard work and determination of Independent Member for Kooyong, Dr Monique Ryan. The Council thanks and acknowledges Dr Ryan’s consistent advocacy in this space.

The NSW Council for Civil Liberties has lodged a submission to the NSW Ombudsman with respect to the review of the Mandatory Disease testing Act 2021.

The Mandatory Disease Testing Act came into force in July 2022 and provides for mandatory testing of a person whose bodily fluid comes into contact with a health, emergency or public sector worker.

The making of a “mandatory order” compels a person to provide a blood sample, under the threat of prosecution for a failure to comply. If convicted, it carries a maximum penalty of twelve months imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $10, 000.

Australian civil society statement in solidarity with Gaza

We, the undersigned, express our alarm about the unfolding crisis in Gaza.

Australia, and the whole international community, must immediately call for a ceasefire and for an end to the targeting of civilians in Gaza. 

We express our concern about all violations of international law. We mourn the killing of civilians, Palestinian and Israeli. 

Under international humanitarian law (the laws of war) parties to a conflict have a clear obligation to protect the lives of civilians. Israel’s attacks on Gaza as well as their complete blockade of Gaza are clearly in breach of international law.