$20m public liability insurance to rally in a park: How council red tape hinders the right to protest
Summary
A report found that some local councils in New South Wales require protest organisers to have costly public liability insurance to hold rallies in public parks. This rule, along with the need for permits and possible fines, can discourage people from protesting on council land.Key Facts
- A regional council in New South Wales required a $20 million public liability insurance policy for a protest in a park.
- The protest organiser against brumby culling decided to hold the rally on a footpath instead to avoid this insurance requirement.
- Some councils can issue fines up to $2,200 for holding protests without a permit on their land.
- The report calls for protests to require only notification, not permission or insurance.
- Police also have a notification system to protect protesters from charges like obstructing a road.
- The Council for Civil Liberties says insurance demands violate the right to protest and restrict political speech.
- Other local councils, like the City of Sydney, support the right to protest without such barriers.
- Another recent case involved a community group needing insurance to rally against a planned data center in Sydney.
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