Anthony Albanese’s government has been offered the opportunity to support the democratic right to protest for all Australians. Bob Brown Foundation has welcomed the tabling of the Right to Protest Bill 2025 in the Senate today.

“The Right to Protest Bill is a critically important piece of legislation at this point in Australia’s history where state governments across the nation are bringing in laws to criminalise protest and silence community dissent,” said Scott Jordan, Bob Brown Foundation Takayna Campaigner.

“In Tasmania, we have already had peaceful protesters gaoled and many more in front of the courts facing gaol under draconian state-based anti-protest laws,” said Scott Jordan.

In the face of State Governments introducing more and more draconian attacks on protest and public participation, Senator David Shoebridge’s Bill, if passed, will give force to Australia’s obligation to protect the right to protest as enshrined in the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Australia signed this treaty in 1972 and ratified it in 1980. As a matter covered by an international treaty, the Commonwealth Parliament has the constitutional power to make laws that override state laws in this area.

“We have consistently said that state laws that attack the right to protest were in breach of international treaty obligations. We thank Senator Shoebridge for introducing this bill that would give legal effect to these obligations in Australian law.”

“Any parliamentarian who claims to support a free and democratic Australia must support the passage of this Bill. Otherwise, they must explain to voters this election why they believe citizens should be silenced and, like them, accede unquestioning to the demands of the mining and logging corporations.”