NSW premier weighing changes to curb Sydney CBD protests, including Domain designation
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, is understood to be considering changes to the form 1 system and land use policies to curtail protests in the Sydney CBD, amid two years of regular demonstrations and a recent national poll showing public support for stronger police powers. A poll of 1,022 Australians conducted between Tuesday and Friday last week found 62% of respondents nationally and in NSW supported strengthening police powers to curb protests, with 38% saying they “strongly support” and just 17% opposing.
The stronger powers were backed by nearly two-thirds of Labor voters nationally and three-quarters of Coalition voters, while 38% of Greens voters supported them. The demonstrations have largely been organised by the Palestine Action Group over Israel’s war on Gaza and have been described as peaceful, but they have drawn sharp criticism from the premier and some Jewish groups.
More recently anti-immigration groups have also held protests, and in November a rally by neo‑Nazi group National Socialist Network was authorised by police outside NSW parliament. Minns has said protests need to stop to maintain social cohesion after the Bondi massacre and has argued the government’s “highest and most important obligation … is to protect its citizens”.
“We’re looking to change aspects of the law that we think are just putting an unnecessary burden on safety and security,” he said on Wednesday.
chris minns, nsw premier, sydney cbd, form 1 system, land use policies, strengthen police powers, palestine action group, national socialist network, domain protest designation, proscribe globalise the intifada, ban political chants, edmond atalla draft, nsw parliamentary committee, summary offences act protections, opera house trust act, bondi massacre, tough new gun laws, police discretion refuse form 1, nsw jewish board of deputies, executive council of australian jewry, jillian segal, anne twomey, jewish council of australia, australian national imams council