A report by the Australian Democracy Network (ADN) and Deakin University’s Centre for Law as Protection has warned that council bureaucracy is curbing the right to protest in Australia. The study was prompted by a recent incident in which a regional council in New South Wales told a protest organiser that a $20 million public liability insurance policy was required to hold a rally in a council park.
The report, released on Wednesday, highlights a pattern of councils demanding insurance coverage from organisers when rallies are held on council land. It argues that such requirements can be prohibitively expensive and effectively prevent groups from exercising their right to assemble.
In addition to insurance demands, the study points out that some regional and urban councils possess the power to levy financial penalties on public gatherings that take place without a council permit. The report suggests that this authority can be used to further restrict protest activity.
ADN and the Centre for Law as Protection have called for clearer guidelines and more transparent processes to ensure that the right to protest is not unduly hindered by administrative hurdles.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>
