Skip navigation

Greens call for right to protest to be enshrined in law ahead of Cherish Kuehlmann bail hearing

profile image
Sue Higginson
NSW Greens MP
6 March 2023

1 March 2023 - UNSW educator Cherish Kuehlmann will appear in court today to challenge bail conditions set after she was arrested in the middle of the night by NSW Police last week. Ms Kuehlmann was charged with “aggravated trespass” under section 4B Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901 - an amendment introduced by the NSW Government in 2016 aimed at preventing protesters from demonstrating on business owned private land.  

Greens spokesperson for justice Sue Higginson said:

 

“The crackdown on protesters in this State is a dangerous and insidious attack on our democracy. Since 2014 we have seen an erosion of our civil democratic rights, gutted by the Liberal National Coalition and more recently with the support of Labor. 

 

“NSW Police appear to be being used to protect corporate and business interests ahead of the NSW community. Ms Kuehlmann’s arrest was a frightening symptom of the political climate we are presently in.

 

“The bail conditions set for Ms  Kuehlmann are also outrageous - we are spiralling into a state of oppression in NSW and we urgently need to pump the brakes. 

 

“We need to repeal all of the intolerant anti-protest laws that have been introduced in recent years that are aimed at taking away people’s right to protest. We also need to take the necessary steps to protect protest in law and ensure that no protester can receive a prison sentence or unreasonable and overly restrictive bail conditions like Ms Kuehlmann has. 

 

“Only the Greens are committed to do this in the next term of parliament,” Ms Higginson said. 

 

profile image
Sue Higginson
NSW Greens MP
6 March 2023
SHARE:

THE LATEST NEWS

No Positive Plan for Nature - NSW Extinction Crisis will continue under Labor

The Government has finally released its long awaited and highly anticipated response to the Ken Henry Review - the five year statutory review into the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, tabled in August 2023.  The Henry Review final report provided damning insight into how current policy settings are accelerating species...

Damning interim-report into out-of-home care says nothing we didn’t already know

A damning interim-report from the Advocate for Children and Young People has laid bare - yet again - the extraordinary failures of the out-of-home care system in New South Wales.

Special delivery of Deputy State Coroner’s chilling findings to Minister for Police sound alarm bell for dire state of policing failure

5 April 2024 - This week the Coroners Court of New South Wales released its findings from the inquest into the death of Todd Mckenzie. Mr McKenzie was shot three times by police and died in his Taree home after experiencing a schizophrenic episode. The findings of the coronial report were...

NRL mentors announced in Government's “Project Pathfinder” PR stunt will not help divert kids from crime in regional areas

4 April 2024 - A new pilot program between the NSW Police Force and the National Ruby League (NRL) is being rolled out in Moree to tackle youth crime. The project was announced just weeks after the Minns Government’s controversial youth bail laws were passed in Parliament, making it harder for...


CAMPAIGNS