Say it loud: Protecting Protest in Australia Contact Hugh de Kretser Human Rights Law Centre Level 5, 175 Liverpool St Sydney NSW 2000 Level 17, 461 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 T: +61 (3) 8636 4450 E:
[email protected] W: www.hrlc.org.au Human Rights Law Centre Acknowledgements The Human Rights Law Centre protects and This report was researched and written promotes human rights in Australia and beyond by Hannah Ryan, Angela Chen and through a strategic mix of legal action, advocacy, Aruna Sathanapally. research, education and UN engagement. The Human Rights Law Centre thanks We are an independent and not-for-profit The Myer Foundation for generously organisation and donations are tax deductible. supporting this project. Follow us: @rightsagenda Thank you also to all of the organisations, academics and individuals who participated Join us: www.facebook.com/ in the research for this report and provided HumanRightsLawCentreHRLC/ valuable advice and guidance. Contents Introduction 2 Principles 3 Principle 1 Protest activities are protected by 4 the Australian Constitution and international law. Principle 2 Any regulation of protest must be 5 limited to what is necessary and proportionate. Principle 3 As far as possible, protesters should be 7 able to choose how they protest. Principle 4 Laws affecting protest should be 9 drafted as clearly and carefully as possible. Principle 5 Laws regulating protest should not 11 rely on excessive police discretion, and where discretion is necessary it should be properly guided by the law. Principle 6 Lawmakers and governments 12 (including police) should take positive steps to promote freedoms of expression and assembly.