|The NSW Greens are pushing back against the erosion of civil liberties, introducing new laws to repeal harsh anti-protest legislation.

Kobi Shetty MP and Greens spokesperson for democracy has given notice of a bill to repeal the controversial Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Act 2025, rushed through Parliament in February. Legal experts and civil society groups condemned the law, which is now facing a constitutional challenge in the NSW Supreme Court.

Lines attributable to Kobi Shetty MP for Balmain

“Our community is sick of this government undermining the right to protest at every turn. The Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Act rammed through Parliament in February was the latest in a string of authoritarian laws that criminalise peaceful protest.

“The Government tried to justify these laws by citing recent antisemitic incidents, despite there being absolutely no link to peaceful protests. We now know that these reported incidents were linked to organised crime and were done for personal gain, with no connections to racial ideology.

“These laws were rushed, reactionary, and fundamentally flawed. Despite this, NSW Labor is doubling down on undemocratic laws, making us a world leader in criminalising peaceful dissent. The Greens are taking action to reverse this dangerous trend and repeal the worst of the anti-protest laws.”

-ENDS-