People's Blockade: critics say Rising Tide's record raises red flags too serious to ignore
With Newcastle councillors set to decide on the application next week, many objectors pointed to last year's protest, which ended in mass arrests, drew significant police resources and disrupted movement at the port.
A council report released on Monday revealed 86 per cent of more than 1850 submissions supported Rising Tide's application, but critics said the group's track record raises red flags too serious to ignore.
Meanwhile Rising Tide has asked Newcastle council to move its event application from Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park.
The Port of Newcastle was among the strongest opponents to the application, warning City of Newcastle that approving its event licence would be "akin to permitting a demonstration about airline emissions to take place on an active runway".
"No responsible authority would allow such an event due to the clear risks to safety, operations and public confidence," the Port's submission said.
"Council must consider the high risk of non-compliance when assessing this application, the risk isn't hypothetical, it's based on demonstrated past conduct.
"No group with such a track record should be endorsed or facilitated to do the same again."
Last year's blockade ended in 170 arrests as activists defied police orders on the last day and paddled into the shipping channel.
The Port's submission argued that the protest narrative focuses narrowly on coal, and ignores its critical role in delivering economic benefits to the region, sustainability and transition outcomes.
The Port said it enabled the first shipments of wind turbine components to support the development of Renewable Energy Zones and said its Clean Energy Precinct is on track for production by 2030.
"To continue targeting the Port, while ignoring the breadth of its contribution and transformation, is to advance a narrative that is outdated, misleading, and increasingly at odds with the progress being made across our region," it said.
"This is a region that has proudly powered the nation for generations, and now, with the support of industry, government, and the community, is leading the way in charting a responsible course toward net zero."
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) raised concerns about operational shutdowns and safety risks.
ARTC said it has had to take a range of measures, including stopping passenger train services during night-time hours, due to the risks to staff and passengers as a result of Rising Tide's and other groups' protest activities.
"Unauthorised access to a live rail corridor is not only an offence, it jeopardises the health, safety and wellbeing of our rail workers and train drivers, first responders, as well as protestors' own safety," ARTC's submission said.
"Rising Tide's organisers and supporters have previously demonstrated a reckless disregard for safety and compliance with the law and licence conditions."
Business Hunter threw its support behind the Port and commercial operators who work in and around it.
"These operators have a right to undertake their legal business activities without disruption," its submission said.
In 2024, the cruise ship Silver Nova and its almost 1400 passengers and crew cancelled a scheduled visit to Newcastle to avoid the Rising Tide protest.
Business Hunter said cruise ship visits are a significant contributor to the visitor economy, generating $20 million in 2023/24, and the cancelled Silver Nova visit came at a "considerable cost" to day trip organisers, hospitality and tourism businesses.
"The fallout from this highly publicised cancellation has also served to erode industry confidence in Newcastle as a cruise destination at a time when the city is looking to grow its share of that market," the submission said.
Whitehaven Coal took aim at the council itself, arguing it is "offensive" City of Newcastle would encourage and facilitate protesting against employees and businesses in the electorate.
Despite opposition from coal, port and rail stakeholders, support for the protestival poured in from faith groups, doctors and grassroots organisations.
Hunter Jobs Alliance urged the council to focus solely on the proposed use of public land, not on whether or not the message of the event aligns with political or ideological viewpoints.
"The content or target of the protest itself, particularly activities taking place on Newcastle Harbour, falls outside council's jurisdiction, and should not form the basis for Council's decision," its submission said.
"We note that Rising Tide's event in 2024 was a vibrant, peaceful, and family-friendly celebration of people power, featuring live music, community meals, children's activities, learning zones, care tents and chai stalls.
"It was well-organised, inclusive, and respectful of both the land and the broader community."
Supporters raised democratic freedoms, environmental concerns and community connections among their reasons for backing the event.
Many expressed a strong desire to see action on climate change and see the event as an opportunity to champion global environmental justice.
The Tighes Hill Community Group said the 2025 event is an opportunity to put Newcastle on the world stage concerning climate activism.
"... in a world where the right to protest is increasingly denied, it provides a model for civil society to exercise peaceful, safe protest, the right of any functioning democracy," the group said.
Doctors for the Environment Australia said Newcastle and the Hunter have not been spared by climate emergencies, which are adversely affecting health.
"We ask the council to consider their ethical responsibility to the health and well-being of the community and their responsibility to protect their future safety," its submission said.
"It would be negligent of the Newcastle council not to take this seriously."
Newcastle East Residents Group (NERG), who were arguably closest to the action, said organisers kept residents fully informed in the lead up to the 2024 event.
In its submission, NERG said parklands were left in pristine condition and participants showed care and concern for the environment.
"Compared to the Supercars event and its devastating effects on the community, local businesses and the parklands, the Rising Tide event provides great benefit to Newcastle," NERG said.
Councillors will vote on the event licence at an extraordinary meeting on August 12.
WHILE the vast majority backed climate activist group Rising Tide's application to host its protestival in Newcastle later this year, warnings from industry, transport and business leaders have escalated.
With Newcastle councillors set to decide on the application next week, many objectors pointed to last year's protest, which ended in mass arrests, drew significant police resources and disrupted movement at the port.
A council report released on Monday revealed 86 per cent of more than 1850 submissions supported Rising Tide's application, but critics said the group's track record raises red flags too serious to ignore.
Meanwhile Rising Tide has asked Newcastle council to move its event application from Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park.
The Port of Newcastle was among the strongest opponents to the application, warning City of Newcastle that approving its event licence would be "akin to permitting a demonstration about airline emissions to take place on an active runway".
"No responsible authority would allow such an event due to the clear risks to safety, operations and public confidence," the Port's submission said.
"Council must consider the high risk of non-compliance when assessing this application, the risk isn't hypothetical, it's based on demonstrated past conduct.
"No group with such a track record should be endorsed or facilitated to do the same again."
Last year's blockade ended in 170 arrests as activists defied police orders on the last day and paddled into the shipping channel.
The Port's submission argued that the protest narrative focuses narrowly on coal, and ignores its critical role in delivering economic benefits to the region, sustainability and transition outcomes.
The Port said it enabled the first shipments of wind turbine components to support the development of Renewable Energy Zones and said its Clean Energy Precinct is on track for production by 2030.
"To continue targeting the Port, while ignoring the breadth of its contribution and transformation, is to advance a narrative that is outdated, misleading, and increasingly at odds with the progress being made across our region," it said.
"This is a region that has proudly powered the nation for generations, and now, with the support of industry, government, and the community, is leading the way in charting a responsible course toward net zero."
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) raised concerns about operational shutdowns and safety risks.
ARTC said it has had to take a range of measures, including stopping passenger train services during night-time hours, due to the risks to staff and passengers as a result of Rising Tide's and other groups' protest activities.
"Unauthorised access to a live rail corridor is not only an offence, it jeopardises the health, safety and wellbeing of our rail workers and train drivers, first responders, as well as protestors' own safety," ARTC's submission said.
"Rising Tide's organisers and supporters have previously demonstrated a reckless disregard for safety and compliance with the law and licence conditions."
Business Hunter threw its support behind the Port and commercial operators who work in and around it.
"These operators have a right to undertake their legal business activities without disruption," its submission said.
In 2024, the cruise ship Silver Nova and its almost 1400 passengers and crew cancelled a scheduled visit to Newcastle to avoid the Rising Tide protest.
Business Hunter said cruise ship visits are a significant contributor to the visitor economy, generating $20 million in 2023/24, and the cancelled Silver Nova visit came at a "considerable cost" to day trip organisers, hospitality and tourism businesses.
"The fallout from this highly publicised cancellation has also served to erode industry confidence in Newcastle as a cruise destination at a time when the city is looking to grow its share of that market," the submission said.
Whitehaven Coal took aim at the council itself, arguing it is "offensive" City of Newcastle would encourage and facilitate protesting against employees and businesses in the electorate.
Despite opposition from coal, port and rail stakeholders, support for the protestival poured in from faith groups, doctors and grassroots organisations.
Hunter Jobs Alliance urged the council to focus solely on the proposed use of public land, not on whether or not the message of the event aligns with political or ideological viewpoints.
"The content or target of the protest itself, particularly activities taking place on Newcastle Harbour, falls outside council's jurisdiction, and should not form the basis for Council's decision," its submission said.
"We note that Rising Tide's event in 2024 was a vibrant, peaceful, and family-friendly celebration of people power, featuring live music, community meals, children's activities, learning zones, care tents and chai stalls.
"It was well-organised, inclusive, and respectful of both the land and the broader community."
Supporters raised democratic freedoms, environmental concerns and community connections among their reasons for backing the event.
Many expressed a strong desire to see action on climate change and see the event as an opportunity to champion global environmental justice.
The Tighes Hill Community Group said the 2025 event is an opportunity to put Newcastle on the world stage concerning climate activism.
"... in a world where the right to protest is increasingly denied, it provides a model for civil society to exercise peaceful, safe protest, the right of any functioning democracy," the group said.
Doctors for the Environment Australia said Newcastle and the Hunter have not been spared by climate emergencies, which are adversely affecting health.
"We ask the council to consider their ethical responsibility to the health and well-being of the community and their responsibility to protect their future safety," its submission said.
"It would be negligent of the Newcastle council not to take this seriously."
Newcastle East Residents Group (NERG), who were arguably closest to the action, said organisers kept residents fully informed in the lead up to the 2024 event.
In its submission, NERG said parklands were left in pristine condition and participants showed care and concern for the environment.
"Compared to the Supercars event and its devastating effects on the community, local businesses and the parklands, the Rising Tide event provides great benefit to Newcastle," NERG said.
Councillors will vote on the event licence at an extraordinary meeting on August 12.
WHILE the vast majority backed climate activist group Rising Tide's application to host its protestival in Newcastle later this year, warnings from industry, transport and business leaders have escalated.
With Newcastle councillors set to decide on the application next week, many objectors pointed to last year's protest, which ended in mass arrests, drew significant police resources and disrupted movement at the port.
A council report released on Monday revealed 86 per cent of more than 1850 submissions supported Rising Tide's application, but critics said the group's track record raises red flags too serious to ignore.
Meanwhile Rising Tide has asked Newcastle council to move its event application from Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park.
The Port of Newcastle was among the strongest opponents to the application, warning City of Newcastle that approving its event licence would be "akin to permitting a demonstration about airline emissions to take place on an active runway".
"No responsible authority would allow such an event due to the clear risks to safety, operations and public confidence," the Port's submission said.
"Council must consider the high risk of non-compliance when assessing this application, the risk isn't hypothetical, it's based on demonstrated past conduct.
"No group with such a track record should be endorsed or facilitated to do the same again."
Last year's blockade ended in 170 arrests as activists defied police orders on the last day and paddled into the shipping channel.
The Port's submission argued that the protest narrative focuses narrowly on coal, and ignores its critical role in delivering economic benefits to the region, sustainability and transition outcomes.
The Port said it enabled the first shipments of wind turbine components to support the development of Renewable Energy Zones and said its Clean Energy Precinct is on track for production by 2030.
"To continue targeting the Port, while ignoring the breadth of its contribution and transformation, is to advance a narrative that is outdated, misleading, and increasingly at odds with the progress being made across our region," it said.
"This is a region that has proudly powered the nation for generations, and now, with the support of industry, government, and the community, is leading the way in charting a responsible course toward net zero."
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) raised concerns about operational shutdowns and safety risks.
ARTC said it has had to take a range of measures, including stopping passenger train services during night-time hours, due to the risks to staff and passengers as a result of Rising Tide's and other groups' protest activities.
"Unauthorised access to a live rail corridor is not only an offence, it jeopardises the health, safety and wellbeing of our rail workers and train drivers, first responders, as well as protestors' own safety," ARTC's submission said.
"Rising Tide's organisers and supporters have previously demonstrated a reckless disregard for safety and compliance with the law and licence conditions."
Business Hunter threw its support behind the Port and commercial operators who work in and around it.
"These operators have a right to undertake their legal business activities without disruption," its submission said.
In 2024, the cruise ship Silver Nova and its almost 1400 passengers and crew cancelled a scheduled visit to Newcastle to avoid the Rising Tide protest.
Business Hunter said cruise ship visits are a significant contributor to the visitor economy, generating $20 million in 2023/24, and the cancelled Silver Nova visit came at a "considerable cost" to day trip organisers, hospitality and tourism businesses.
"The fallout from this highly publicised cancellation has also served to erode industry confidence in Newcastle as a cruise destination at a time when the city is looking to grow its share of that market," the submission said.
Whitehaven Coal took aim at the council itself, arguing it is "offensive" City of Newcastle would encourage and facilitate protesting against employees and businesses in the electorate.
Despite opposition from coal, port and rail stakeholders, support for the protestival poured in from faith groups, doctors and grassroots organisations.
Hunter Jobs Alliance urged the council to focus solely on the proposed use of public land, not on whether or not the message of the event aligns with political or ideological viewpoints.
"The content or target of the protest itself, particularly activities taking place on Newcastle Harbour, falls outside council's jurisdiction, and should not form the basis for Council's decision," its submission said.
"We note that Rising Tide's event in 2024 was a vibrant, peaceful, and family-friendly celebration of people power, featuring live music, community meals, children's activities, learning zones, care tents and chai stalls.
"It was well-organised, inclusive, and respectful of both the land and the broader community."
Supporters raised democratic freedoms, environmental concerns and community connections among their reasons for backing the event.
Many expressed a strong desire to see action on climate change and see the event as an opportunity to champion global environmental justice.
The Tighes Hill Community Group said the 2025 event is an opportunity to put Newcastle on the world stage concerning climate activism.
"... in a world where the right to protest is increasingly denied, it provides a model for civil society to exercise peaceful, safe protest, the right of any functioning democracy," the group said.
Doctors for the Environment Australia said Newcastle and the Hunter have not been spared by climate emergencies, which are adversely affecting health.
"We ask the council to consider their ethical responsibility to the health and well-being of the community and their responsibility to protect their future safety," its submission said.
"It would be negligent of the Newcastle council not to take this seriously."
Newcastle East Residents Group (NERG), who were arguably closest to the action, said organisers kept residents fully informed in the lead up to the 2024 event.
In its submission, NERG said parklands were left in pristine condition and participants showed care and concern for the environment.
"Compared to the Supercars event and its devastating effects on the community, local businesses and the parklands, the Rising Tide event provides great benefit to Newcastle," NERG said.
Councillors will vote on the event licence at an extraordinary meeting on August 12.
WHILE the vast majority backed climate activist group Rising Tide's application to host its protestival in Newcastle later this year, warnings from industry, transport and business leaders have escalated.
With Newcastle councillors set to decide on the application next week, many objectors pointed to last year's protest, which ended in mass arrests, drew significant police resources and disrupted movement at the port.
A council report released on Monday revealed 86 per cent of more than 1850 submissions supported Rising Tide's application, but critics said the group's track record raises red flags too serious to ignore.
Meanwhile Rising Tide has asked Newcastle council to move its event application from Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park.
The Port of Newcastle was among the strongest opponents to the application, warning City of Newcastle that approving its event licence would be "akin to permitting a demonstration about airline emissions to take place on an active runway".
"No responsible authority would allow such an event due to the clear risks to safety, operations and public confidence," the Port's submission said.
"Council must consider the high risk of non-compliance when assessing this application, the risk isn't hypothetical, it's based on demonstrated past conduct.
"No group with such a track record should be endorsed or facilitated to do the same again."
Last year's blockade ended in 170 arrests as activists defied police orders on the last day and paddled into the shipping channel.
The Port's submission argued that the protest narrative focuses narrowly on coal, and ignores its critical role in delivering economic benefits to the region, sustainability and transition outcomes.
The Port said it enabled the first shipments of wind turbine components to support the development of Renewable Energy Zones and said its Clean Energy Precinct is on track for production by 2030.
"To continue targeting the Port, while ignoring the breadth of its contribution and transformation, is to advance a narrative that is outdated, misleading, and increasingly at odds with the progress being made across our region," it said.
"This is a region that has proudly powered the nation for generations, and now, with the support of industry, government, and the community, is leading the way in charting a responsible course toward net zero."
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) raised concerns about operational shutdowns and safety risks.
ARTC said it has had to take a range of measures, including stopping passenger train services during night-time hours, due to the risks to staff and passengers as a result of Rising Tide's and other groups' protest activities.
"Unauthorised access to a live rail corridor is not only an offence, it jeopardises the health, safety and wellbeing of our rail workers and train drivers, first responders, as well as protestors' own safety," ARTC's submission said.
"Rising Tide's organisers and supporters have previously demonstrated a reckless disregard for safety and compliance with the law and licence conditions."
Business Hunter threw its support behind the Port and commercial operators who work in and around it.
"These operators have a right to undertake their legal business activities without disruption," its submission said.
In 2024, the cruise ship Silver Nova and its almost 1400 passengers and crew cancelled a scheduled visit to Newcastle to avoid the Rising Tide protest.
Business Hunter said cruise ship visits are a significant contributor to the visitor economy, generating $20 million in 2023/24, and the cancelled Silver Nova visit came at a "considerable cost" to day trip organisers, hospitality and tourism businesses.
"The fallout from this highly publicised cancellation has also served to erode industry confidence in Newcastle as a cruise destination at a time when the city is looking to grow its share of that market," the submission said.
Whitehaven Coal took aim at the council itself, arguing it is "offensive" City of Newcastle would encourage and facilitate protesting against employees and businesses in the electorate.
Despite opposition from coal, port and rail stakeholders, support for the protestival poured in from faith groups, doctors and grassroots organisations.
Hunter Jobs Alliance urged the council to focus solely on the proposed use of public land, not on whether or not the message of the event aligns with political or ideological viewpoints.
"The content or target of the protest itself, particularly activities taking place on Newcastle Harbour, falls outside council's jurisdiction, and should not form the basis for Council's decision," its submission said.
"We note that Rising Tide's event in 2024 was a vibrant, peaceful, and family-friendly celebration of people power, featuring live music, community meals, children's activities, learning zones, care tents and chai stalls.
"It was well-organised, inclusive, and respectful of both the land and the broader community."
Supporters raised democratic freedoms, environmental concerns and community connections among their reasons for backing the event.
Many expressed a strong desire to see action on climate change and see the event as an opportunity to champion global environmental justice.
The Tighes Hill Community Group said the 2025 event is an opportunity to put Newcastle on the world stage concerning climate activism.
"... in a world where the right to protest is increasingly denied, it provides a model for civil society to exercise peaceful, safe protest, the right of any functioning democracy," the group said.
Doctors for the Environment Australia said Newcastle and the Hunter have not been spared by climate emergencies, which are adversely affecting health.
"We ask the council to consider their ethical responsibility to the health and well-being of the community and their responsibility to protect their future safety," its submission said.
"It would be negligent of the Newcastle council not to take this seriously."
Newcastle East Residents Group (NERG), who were arguably closest to the action, said organisers kept residents fully informed in the lead up to the 2024 event.
In its submission, NERG said parklands were left in pristine condition and participants showed care and concern for the environment.
"Compared to the Supercars event and its devastating effects on the community, local businesses and the parklands, the Rising Tide event provides great benefit to Newcastle," NERG said.
Councillors will vote on the event licence at an extraordinary meeting on August 12.
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2 days ago
- The Advertiser
'Gullible council of Newcastle': Rising Tide application 'approved' under strict conditions
RISING Tide's divisive application to hold its 2025 People's Blockade on council-owned land in November has been handed 'in-principle' approval under strict conditions. The decision on will ultimately be in the hands of City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath once further public exhibition is undertaken on the newly-proposed Foreshore Park campsite. He will not make a decision on Camp Shortland. The council approved Rising Tide's application to hold a climate concert at Camp Shortland, but its push to use Foreshore Park will need to go back to the drawing board. The council's in-principle approval is not unconditional; Rising Tide organisers will need to submit a new event application for Foreshore Park, which will go back on public exhibition for an undisclosed period of time. The climate activist group will need to submit and maintain a valid 'Form 1' to the NSW Police covering all locations for an authorised public assembly, consistent with the event licence application. Rising Tide will also need to make a commitment that its organisers and participants will follow all "lawful" police directions. Independent Cr Peter Gittins said he is an "old-school" type of person and if Rising Tide goes against its word, he would see it as a "fundamental breach of integrity". "I wish and hope Rising Tide does not, under any circumstances, enter the shipping lanes, a commitment they gave to the lord mayor last year and broke," he said. "I implore those involved with the protest, which I have said earlier, I support, to think seriously about the economic impact, the messaging, and health and safety in our port must be at the forefront of everything that is being done." Newcastle council chambers were packed to the rafters on Tuesday night, spilling out the doors, as about 100 Rising Tide members anxiously awaited a decision. Labor councillors Declan Clausen and Peta Winney-Baartz did not debate the application, having declared conflicts of interest in the matter and excusing themselves from the chamber. The climate activist group threw a spanner in the works with a last-minute proposal to move the protest campsite from Hamilton North's Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park, where it was held in 2024. City of Newcastle took Camp Shortland and Richardson Park to the public and received more than 1850 submissions, of which 86 per cent backed the event. Members of the community did not have the opportunity to make submissions on Foreshore Park. The 11th-hour change raised questions about whether approving a new location without further public exhibition would breach the Local Government Act. Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said the decision was a "defining moment" for the elected council to demonstrate its position on the right to protest and its commitment to "ensuring a safe climate future". Cr McCabe said those against the event "demanded" councillors consider the actions of a small percentage of Rising Tide protestors, despite arrests being the responsibility of NSW Police. Despite what she called "public pressure" from the premier and state government to refuse the application, Cr McCabe said there will be members of the community who feel compelled to participate in non-violent civil disobedience and would be "rightly enraged" if the application were shot down. "If our priority is safety for everyone, event attendees, community members, residents and police officers, then it is our duty to ensure that a coordinated event with clear expectations and clear lines of open communication takes place," she said. "If we reject this application, we risk an occurrence where potentially thousands of people will arrive in our city who are angry ... they will find somewhere to set up in our city, on our community land, without any of the agreements that we currently have in place for this licence application." On Monday, Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said an approval of the event licence without further exhibition would not be compliant with the requirements of the Act. He reiterated those thoughts at Tuesday night's meeting. "Lord mayor, as we well know, you were branded the gullible mayor of Newcastle after making a single undertaking just last year," Cr Pull said. "If this event succeeds, and the event is approved, and en masse arrests occur for a third time in a row, the council will rightfully be branded the gullible council of Newcastle." Cr Pull said the council as a whole would wear any reputational impacts, and pushed for the council to deny both event licences, arguing, "the buck stops with us". According to the Act, a proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly if a council proposes to grant a lease or license, including on the council's website and on the land the proposal relates to. An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors said the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. The email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in hot water with his fellow councillors when he used his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, having been elected just two months before the event. The extraordinary meeting marks the first time in recent history that councillors have determined an event authorisation. In January 2025, Cr Kerridge asked City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath to bring the decision to the elected council. According to a report to councillors, the event attracted about 3000 attendees in 2023 and about 5000 in 2024. RISING Tide's divisive application to hold its 2025 People's Blockade on council-owned land in November has been handed 'in-principle' approval under strict conditions. The decision on will ultimately be in the hands of City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath once further public exhibition is undertaken on the newly-proposed Foreshore Park campsite. He will not make a decision on Camp Shortland. The council approved Rising Tide's application to hold a climate concert at Camp Shortland, but its push to use Foreshore Park will need to go back to the drawing board. The council's in-principle approval is not unconditional; Rising Tide organisers will need to submit a new event application for Foreshore Park, which will go back on public exhibition for an undisclosed period of time. The climate activist group will need to submit and maintain a valid 'Form 1' to the NSW Police covering all locations for an authorised public assembly, consistent with the event licence application. Rising Tide will also need to make a commitment that its organisers and participants will follow all "lawful" police directions. Independent Cr Peter Gittins said he is an "old-school" type of person and if Rising Tide goes against its word, he would see it as a "fundamental breach of integrity". "I wish and hope Rising Tide does not, under any circumstances, enter the shipping lanes, a commitment they gave to the lord mayor last year and broke," he said. "I implore those involved with the protest, which I have said earlier, I support, to think seriously about the economic impact, the messaging, and health and safety in our port must be at the forefront of everything that is being done." Newcastle council chambers were packed to the rafters on Tuesday night, spilling out the doors, as about 100 Rising Tide members anxiously awaited a decision. Labor councillors Declan Clausen and Peta Winney-Baartz did not debate the application, having declared conflicts of interest in the matter and excusing themselves from the chamber. The climate activist group threw a spanner in the works with a last-minute proposal to move the protest campsite from Hamilton North's Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park, where it was held in 2024. City of Newcastle took Camp Shortland and Richardson Park to the public and received more than 1850 submissions, of which 86 per cent backed the event. Members of the community did not have the opportunity to make submissions on Foreshore Park. The 11th-hour change raised questions about whether approving a new location without further public exhibition would breach the Local Government Act. Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said the decision was a "defining moment" for the elected council to demonstrate its position on the right to protest and its commitment to "ensuring a safe climate future". Cr McCabe said those against the event "demanded" councillors consider the actions of a small percentage of Rising Tide protestors, despite arrests being the responsibility of NSW Police. Despite what she called "public pressure" from the premier and state government to refuse the application, Cr McCabe said there will be members of the community who feel compelled to participate in non-violent civil disobedience and would be "rightly enraged" if the application were shot down. "If our priority is safety for everyone, event attendees, community members, residents and police officers, then it is our duty to ensure that a coordinated event with clear expectations and clear lines of open communication takes place," she said. "If we reject this application, we risk an occurrence where potentially thousands of people will arrive in our city who are angry ... they will find somewhere to set up in our city, on our community land, without any of the agreements that we currently have in place for this licence application." On Monday, Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said an approval of the event licence without further exhibition would not be compliant with the requirements of the Act. He reiterated those thoughts at Tuesday night's meeting. "Lord mayor, as we well know, you were branded the gullible mayor of Newcastle after making a single undertaking just last year," Cr Pull said. "If this event succeeds, and the event is approved, and en masse arrests occur for a third time in a row, the council will rightfully be branded the gullible council of Newcastle." Cr Pull said the council as a whole would wear any reputational impacts, and pushed for the council to deny both event licences, arguing, "the buck stops with us". According to the Act, a proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly if a council proposes to grant a lease or license, including on the council's website and on the land the proposal relates to. An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors said the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. The email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in hot water with his fellow councillors when he used his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, having been elected just two months before the event. The extraordinary meeting marks the first time in recent history that councillors have determined an event authorisation. In January 2025, Cr Kerridge asked City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath to bring the decision to the elected council. According to a report to councillors, the event attracted about 3000 attendees in 2023 and about 5000 in 2024. RISING Tide's divisive application to hold its 2025 People's Blockade on council-owned land in November has been handed 'in-principle' approval under strict conditions. The decision on will ultimately be in the hands of City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath once further public exhibition is undertaken on the newly-proposed Foreshore Park campsite. He will not make a decision on Camp Shortland. The council approved Rising Tide's application to hold a climate concert at Camp Shortland, but its push to use Foreshore Park will need to go back to the drawing board. The council's in-principle approval is not unconditional; Rising Tide organisers will need to submit a new event application for Foreshore Park, which will go back on public exhibition for an undisclosed period of time. The climate activist group will need to submit and maintain a valid 'Form 1' to the NSW Police covering all locations for an authorised public assembly, consistent with the event licence application. Rising Tide will also need to make a commitment that its organisers and participants will follow all "lawful" police directions. Independent Cr Peter Gittins said he is an "old-school" type of person and if Rising Tide goes against its word, he would see it as a "fundamental breach of integrity". "I wish and hope Rising Tide does not, under any circumstances, enter the shipping lanes, a commitment they gave to the lord mayor last year and broke," he said. "I implore those involved with the protest, which I have said earlier, I support, to think seriously about the economic impact, the messaging, and health and safety in our port must be at the forefront of everything that is being done." Newcastle council chambers were packed to the rafters on Tuesday night, spilling out the doors, as about 100 Rising Tide members anxiously awaited a decision. Labor councillors Declan Clausen and Peta Winney-Baartz did not debate the application, having declared conflicts of interest in the matter and excusing themselves from the chamber. The climate activist group threw a spanner in the works with a last-minute proposal to move the protest campsite from Hamilton North's Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park, where it was held in 2024. City of Newcastle took Camp Shortland and Richardson Park to the public and received more than 1850 submissions, of which 86 per cent backed the event. Members of the community did not have the opportunity to make submissions on Foreshore Park. The 11th-hour change raised questions about whether approving a new location without further public exhibition would breach the Local Government Act. Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said the decision was a "defining moment" for the elected council to demonstrate its position on the right to protest and its commitment to "ensuring a safe climate future". Cr McCabe said those against the event "demanded" councillors consider the actions of a small percentage of Rising Tide protestors, despite arrests being the responsibility of NSW Police. Despite what she called "public pressure" from the premier and state government to refuse the application, Cr McCabe said there will be members of the community who feel compelled to participate in non-violent civil disobedience and would be "rightly enraged" if the application were shot down. "If our priority is safety for everyone, event attendees, community members, residents and police officers, then it is our duty to ensure that a coordinated event with clear expectations and clear lines of open communication takes place," she said. "If we reject this application, we risk an occurrence where potentially thousands of people will arrive in our city who are angry ... they will find somewhere to set up in our city, on our community land, without any of the agreements that we currently have in place for this licence application." On Monday, Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said an approval of the event licence without further exhibition would not be compliant with the requirements of the Act. He reiterated those thoughts at Tuesday night's meeting. "Lord mayor, as we well know, you were branded the gullible mayor of Newcastle after making a single undertaking just last year," Cr Pull said. "If this event succeeds, and the event is approved, and en masse arrests occur for a third time in a row, the council will rightfully be branded the gullible council of Newcastle." Cr Pull said the council as a whole would wear any reputational impacts, and pushed for the council to deny both event licences, arguing, "the buck stops with us". According to the Act, a proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly if a council proposes to grant a lease or license, including on the council's website and on the land the proposal relates to. An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors said the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. The email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in hot water with his fellow councillors when he used his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, having been elected just two months before the event. The extraordinary meeting marks the first time in recent history that councillors have determined an event authorisation. In January 2025, Cr Kerridge asked City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath to bring the decision to the elected council. According to a report to councillors, the event attracted about 3000 attendees in 2023 and about 5000 in 2024. RISING Tide's divisive application to hold its 2025 People's Blockade on council-owned land in November has been handed 'in-principle' approval under strict conditions. The decision on will ultimately be in the hands of City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath once further public exhibition is undertaken on the newly-proposed Foreshore Park campsite. He will not make a decision on Camp Shortland. The council approved Rising Tide's application to hold a climate concert at Camp Shortland, but its push to use Foreshore Park will need to go back to the drawing board. The council's in-principle approval is not unconditional; Rising Tide organisers will need to submit a new event application for Foreshore Park, which will go back on public exhibition for an undisclosed period of time. The climate activist group will need to submit and maintain a valid 'Form 1' to the NSW Police covering all locations for an authorised public assembly, consistent with the event licence application. Rising Tide will also need to make a commitment that its organisers and participants will follow all "lawful" police directions. Independent Cr Peter Gittins said he is an "old-school" type of person and if Rising Tide goes against its word, he would see it as a "fundamental breach of integrity". "I wish and hope Rising Tide does not, under any circumstances, enter the shipping lanes, a commitment they gave to the lord mayor last year and broke," he said. "I implore those involved with the protest, which I have said earlier, I support, to think seriously about the economic impact, the messaging, and health and safety in our port must be at the forefront of everything that is being done." Newcastle council chambers were packed to the rafters on Tuesday night, spilling out the doors, as about 100 Rising Tide members anxiously awaited a decision. Labor councillors Declan Clausen and Peta Winney-Baartz did not debate the application, having declared conflicts of interest in the matter and excusing themselves from the chamber. The climate activist group threw a spanner in the works with a last-minute proposal to move the protest campsite from Hamilton North's Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park, where it was held in 2024. City of Newcastle took Camp Shortland and Richardson Park to the public and received more than 1850 submissions, of which 86 per cent backed the event. Members of the community did not have the opportunity to make submissions on Foreshore Park. The 11th-hour change raised questions about whether approving a new location without further public exhibition would breach the Local Government Act. Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said the decision was a "defining moment" for the elected council to demonstrate its position on the right to protest and its commitment to "ensuring a safe climate future". Cr McCabe said those against the event "demanded" councillors consider the actions of a small percentage of Rising Tide protestors, despite arrests being the responsibility of NSW Police. Despite what she called "public pressure" from the premier and state government to refuse the application, Cr McCabe said there will be members of the community who feel compelled to participate in non-violent civil disobedience and would be "rightly enraged" if the application were shot down. "If our priority is safety for everyone, event attendees, community members, residents and police officers, then it is our duty to ensure that a coordinated event with clear expectations and clear lines of open communication takes place," she said. "If we reject this application, we risk an occurrence where potentially thousands of people will arrive in our city who are angry ... they will find somewhere to set up in our city, on our community land, without any of the agreements that we currently have in place for this licence application." On Monday, Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said an approval of the event licence without further exhibition would not be compliant with the requirements of the Act. He reiterated those thoughts at Tuesday night's meeting. "Lord mayor, as we well know, you were branded the gullible mayor of Newcastle after making a single undertaking just last year," Cr Pull said. "If this event succeeds, and the event is approved, and en masse arrests occur for a third time in a row, the council will rightfully be branded the gullible council of Newcastle." Cr Pull said the council as a whole would wear any reputational impacts, and pushed for the council to deny both event licences, arguing, "the buck stops with us". According to the Act, a proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly if a council proposes to grant a lease or license, including on the council's website and on the land the proposal relates to. An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors said the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. The email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in hot water with his fellow councillors when he used his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, having been elected just two months before the event. The extraordinary meeting marks the first time in recent history that councillors have determined an event authorisation. In January 2025, Cr Kerridge asked City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath to bring the decision to the elected council. According to a report to councillors, the event attracted about 3000 attendees in 2023 and about 5000 in 2024.
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- The Advertiser
'Bait and switch': deputy lord mayor decries Rising Tide venue change
A decision to approve Rising Tide's amended event application without another round of public exhibition could breach the Local Government Act, the deputy lord mayor claims. The Newcastle Herald reported last week that Rising Tide submitted a request to Newcastle council to amend its event application and move the November blockade protest campsite from Richardson Park to Foreshore Park. The climate concert would be held at Camp Shortland as previously planned. An extraordinary council meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 12, regarding the event application. Newcastle deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said if the council chooses to approve the event application on Tuesday, the decision will not be compliant with requirements of the Local Government Act. He said, however, the council could vote to reject the application without another exhibition. The Act says if a council proposes to grant a lease or licence, the proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly, including on the council's website and on the land to which the proposal relates. The proposal has been notified for Camp Shortland and Richardson Park, but not for the proposed new site of Foreshore Park. Rising Tide spokesperson Alexa Stuart said the decision to move the campsite was based on "careful consideration" of safety concerns raised by police, council submissions, discussions with councillors and council staff and feedback from Newcastle East residents. The Newcastle East Residents Group has signalled its support for the campsite to be held in Foreshore Park. Deputy lord mayor Callum Pull said Rising Tide had "taken us on a ride for the last two months". "It is very, very poor of Rising Tide to bait and switch locations at the eleventh hour," Cr Pull said. "Staff have already gone through a long and arduous process, taking submissions and compiling a very comprehensive report. "This will put councillors in a state of uncertainty." Ms Stuart said it would be "unnecessary" for the application to go back through the public consultation process. "The purpose of this process is to find out if the community supports an application and whether any amendments are required," she said. "The outcome of this process is that there is overwhelming support for the application, but a community preference for one site and not another." "An event of this scale takes many months to plan and organise, so we hope that after Tuesday night we will be able to lock in our high-profile line-up of musicians and book the infrastructure required for an event of this scale." Ms Stuart said Cr Pull was "out of touch" with the Newcastle community. The council report showed 86 per cent of more than 1850 submissions were in favour of Rising Tide's bid to use Hamilton North's Richardson Park and Camp Shortland. "Independent polling by YouGov showed that 66 per cent of Novocastrians think that council should approve this application," she said "We hope that councillors will listen to their constituents and vote to support our application on Tuesday night." An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors states that the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. Lord mayor Ross Kerridge caused a stir by using his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, being elected two months before the event. He said his decision was about maintaining civil order as the event had been promoted nationally following a number of meetings with Rising Tide which began in February 2024. The internal email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. It said the dollar cost of the public notification was "relatively minor", but there was a "significant cost" of 110 staff hours spent developing the report, particularly given the 458 paper-based submissions. A decision to approve Rising Tide's amended event application without another round of public exhibition could breach the Local Government Act, the deputy lord mayor claims. The Newcastle Herald reported last week that Rising Tide submitted a request to Newcastle council to amend its event application and move the November blockade protest campsite from Richardson Park to Foreshore Park. The climate concert would be held at Camp Shortland as previously planned. An extraordinary council meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 12, regarding the event application. Newcastle deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said if the council chooses to approve the event application on Tuesday, the decision will not be compliant with requirements of the Local Government Act. He said, however, the council could vote to reject the application without another exhibition. The Act says if a council proposes to grant a lease or licence, the proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly, including on the council's website and on the land to which the proposal relates. The proposal has been notified for Camp Shortland and Richardson Park, but not for the proposed new site of Foreshore Park. Rising Tide spokesperson Alexa Stuart said the decision to move the campsite was based on "careful consideration" of safety concerns raised by police, council submissions, discussions with councillors and council staff and feedback from Newcastle East residents. The Newcastle East Residents Group has signalled its support for the campsite to be held in Foreshore Park. Deputy lord mayor Callum Pull said Rising Tide had "taken us on a ride for the last two months". "It is very, very poor of Rising Tide to bait and switch locations at the eleventh hour," Cr Pull said. "Staff have already gone through a long and arduous process, taking submissions and compiling a very comprehensive report. "This will put councillors in a state of uncertainty." Ms Stuart said it would be "unnecessary" for the application to go back through the public consultation process. "The purpose of this process is to find out if the community supports an application and whether any amendments are required," she said. "The outcome of this process is that there is overwhelming support for the application, but a community preference for one site and not another." "An event of this scale takes many months to plan and organise, so we hope that after Tuesday night we will be able to lock in our high-profile line-up of musicians and book the infrastructure required for an event of this scale." Ms Stuart said Cr Pull was "out of touch" with the Newcastle community. The council report showed 86 per cent of more than 1850 submissions were in favour of Rising Tide's bid to use Hamilton North's Richardson Park and Camp Shortland. "Independent polling by YouGov showed that 66 per cent of Novocastrians think that council should approve this application," she said "We hope that councillors will listen to their constituents and vote to support our application on Tuesday night." An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors states that the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. Lord mayor Ross Kerridge caused a stir by using his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, being elected two months before the event. He said his decision was about maintaining civil order as the event had been promoted nationally following a number of meetings with Rising Tide which began in February 2024. The internal email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. It said the dollar cost of the public notification was "relatively minor", but there was a "significant cost" of 110 staff hours spent developing the report, particularly given the 458 paper-based submissions. A decision to approve Rising Tide's amended event application without another round of public exhibition could breach the Local Government Act, the deputy lord mayor claims. The Newcastle Herald reported last week that Rising Tide submitted a request to Newcastle council to amend its event application and move the November blockade protest campsite from Richardson Park to Foreshore Park. The climate concert would be held at Camp Shortland as previously planned. An extraordinary council meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 12, regarding the event application. Newcastle deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said if the council chooses to approve the event application on Tuesday, the decision will not be compliant with requirements of the Local Government Act. He said, however, the council could vote to reject the application without another exhibition. The Act says if a council proposes to grant a lease or licence, the proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly, including on the council's website and on the land to which the proposal relates. The proposal has been notified for Camp Shortland and Richardson Park, but not for the proposed new site of Foreshore Park. Rising Tide spokesperson Alexa Stuart said the decision to move the campsite was based on "careful consideration" of safety concerns raised by police, council submissions, discussions with councillors and council staff and feedback from Newcastle East residents. The Newcastle East Residents Group has signalled its support for the campsite to be held in Foreshore Park. Deputy lord mayor Callum Pull said Rising Tide had "taken us on a ride for the last two months". "It is very, very poor of Rising Tide to bait and switch locations at the eleventh hour," Cr Pull said. "Staff have already gone through a long and arduous process, taking submissions and compiling a very comprehensive report. "This will put councillors in a state of uncertainty." Ms Stuart said it would be "unnecessary" for the application to go back through the public consultation process. "The purpose of this process is to find out if the community supports an application and whether any amendments are required," she said. "The outcome of this process is that there is overwhelming support for the application, but a community preference for one site and not another." "An event of this scale takes many months to plan and organise, so we hope that after Tuesday night we will be able to lock in our high-profile line-up of musicians and book the infrastructure required for an event of this scale." Ms Stuart said Cr Pull was "out of touch" with the Newcastle community. The council report showed 86 per cent of more than 1850 submissions were in favour of Rising Tide's bid to use Hamilton North's Richardson Park and Camp Shortland. "Independent polling by YouGov showed that 66 per cent of Novocastrians think that council should approve this application," she said "We hope that councillors will listen to their constituents and vote to support our application on Tuesday night." An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors states that the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. Lord mayor Ross Kerridge caused a stir by using his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, being elected two months before the event. He said his decision was about maintaining civil order as the event had been promoted nationally following a number of meetings with Rising Tide which began in February 2024. The internal email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. It said the dollar cost of the public notification was "relatively minor", but there was a "significant cost" of 110 staff hours spent developing the report, particularly given the 458 paper-based submissions. A decision to approve Rising Tide's amended event application without another round of public exhibition could breach the Local Government Act, the deputy lord mayor claims. The Newcastle Herald reported last week that Rising Tide submitted a request to Newcastle council to amend its event application and move the November blockade protest campsite from Richardson Park to Foreshore Park. The climate concert would be held at Camp Shortland as previously planned. An extraordinary council meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 12, regarding the event application. Newcastle deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said if the council chooses to approve the event application on Tuesday, the decision will not be compliant with requirements of the Local Government Act. He said, however, the council could vote to reject the application without another exhibition. The Act says if a council proposes to grant a lease or licence, the proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly, including on the council's website and on the land to which the proposal relates. The proposal has been notified for Camp Shortland and Richardson Park, but not for the proposed new site of Foreshore Park. Rising Tide spokesperson Alexa Stuart said the decision to move the campsite was based on "careful consideration" of safety concerns raised by police, council submissions, discussions with councillors and council staff and feedback from Newcastle East residents. The Newcastle East Residents Group has signalled its support for the campsite to be held in Foreshore Park. Deputy lord mayor Callum Pull said Rising Tide had "taken us on a ride for the last two months". "It is very, very poor of Rising Tide to bait and switch locations at the eleventh hour," Cr Pull said. "Staff have already gone through a long and arduous process, taking submissions and compiling a very comprehensive report. "This will put councillors in a state of uncertainty." Ms Stuart said it would be "unnecessary" for the application to go back through the public consultation process. "The purpose of this process is to find out if the community supports an application and whether any amendments are required," she said. "The outcome of this process is that there is overwhelming support for the application, but a community preference for one site and not another." "An event of this scale takes many months to plan and organise, so we hope that after Tuesday night we will be able to lock in our high-profile line-up of musicians and book the infrastructure required for an event of this scale." Ms Stuart said Cr Pull was "out of touch" with the Newcastle community. The council report showed 86 per cent of more than 1850 submissions were in favour of Rising Tide's bid to use Hamilton North's Richardson Park and Camp Shortland. "Independent polling by YouGov showed that 66 per cent of Novocastrians think that council should approve this application," she said "We hope that councillors will listen to their constituents and vote to support our application on Tuesday night." An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors states that the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. Lord mayor Ross Kerridge caused a stir by using his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, being elected two months before the event. He said his decision was about maintaining civil order as the event had been promoted nationally following a number of meetings with Rising Tide which began in February 2024. The internal email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. It said the dollar cost of the public notification was "relatively minor", but there was a "significant cost" of 110 staff hours spent developing the report, particularly given the 458 paper-based submissions.
ABC News
08-08-2025
- ABC News
Have anti-protest laws changed the way young people demonstrate?
She's only 24, but Justice Stalman has been involved in activism for almost a decade. "My first involvement in activism, I think I was about 16, and it was around the Adani coal mine in Queensland," says Ms Stalman who is from South Australia. As we're chatting Ms Stalman assures me that "Justice" is written on her birth certificate, but she has spent much of her life seeking it elsewhere. "In the beginning it was a lot of campaigning," she says. "The first group that I was involved with was with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and we had a lot of focus on consulting with governments and doing campaigns that way. "It was just young people trying to be heard and have meaningful conversations. "But yeah, it didn't feel like that really led to a lot of change." In 2023, Justice travelled to New South Wales to join activism group Rising Tide which was attempting to block coal ships from entering the Newcastle port. Along with more than 100 other protesters she was arrested. That was all part of the plan. "It feels often that protesting — the legal way, the polite way — you're still not seen, or often ignored. And we see little change coming from that," she says. "But when we move into things that are more disruptive that demand your attention you can't look away anymore." Ms Stalman says she was not fined or convicted. Protests have dominated the news lately. Unsurprisingly, when more than 90,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge it created headlines across the globe. Data suggests the annual number of protests across the globe tripled between 2006 and 2020 and one online global protest tracker says that this upward trend has continued through the 2020s. David Mejia-Canales, a senior lawyer at the Human Rights Centre, says this perceived increase is a symptom of visibility. "Before we had smartphones and the internet you had to run into a protest to know that it was happening," he says. "Whereas now there's a lot of really high-profile protests for things like protecting the environment, for ending wars, and these things have actually got to a level that people are talking about them just in everyday speech, in schools, in workplaces. "So there's a perception that protest is, sort of, on the rise." According to Mr Mejia-Canales, more eyeballs on protests has resulted in increased scrutiny. "In the last, say, 20 years, maybe 22 years, we've seen about 30 anti-protest laws being introduced around the country," he says. "So they make, say for example, blocking a road a crime. "And not only do they make blocking a road a crime — and blocking a road is a pretty normal feature of protest — but they attach a really, really high penalty for something like that in NSW. "Blocking a road without police permission could get you a jail sentence of two years or a fine of over $20,000." Recently Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia have all increased penalties for disruptive protests. In 2023, changes to South Australia's Summary Offences Act meant anyone charged with obstructing a public place could be fined up to $50,000 — up from $750 — or be sentenced to three months' jail. The changes to the law passed the lower house in 22 minutes. "Which is not even enough time to do a load of washing, but in that time they really restricted everyone's rights to protest," Mr Mejia-Canales says. He added that the speed at which these laws have been implemented has meant their legal definitions are vague. "If you have a vague law, you don't really know whether you're breaking it or not," Mr Mejia-Canales says. "When you really think about it, what does obstructing the road mean? Does it mean standing there? Does it mean stopping traffic? Does it mean stopping cars? "The laws have to be specific so that you know when you're breaking them or not. "That's so important, because if people don't [know if they're breaking the law] then it's very, very easy for them to get arrested, and that's what we're seeing in Australia." Australia currently has the highest arrest rate in the world for climate and environment protests. That's something young activists at South Australia's Grassroots Ecosystem, a monthly meeting of various community groups across the state, are acutely aware of. "I think it's making people more scared to go out and protest because they're worried about their own future, job prospects and things like that," says Cormac Baker, 21, who first got involved in protesting during high school. Lucinda Trenorden, 20, says she had discussions with friends about their apprehension to attend protests. "I have so many peers who are really concerned about the environment," she says. "But I'm so often hearing people say 'I'm really concerned about my job prospects, I don't want to get involved in climate protests, I don't want to risk anything'. "We need to have our voices heard as young people where this is really going to impact our future. "People are taking measures to not protest and not stand up for what they believe in because of strict protest laws that don't make a whole lot of sense." For Tilly, 17, the introduction of anti-protest laws has just added more fuel to the fire. "I've been taking riskier and riskier actions because I think it sends a message to the government and the police that they shouldn't be introducing these laws, that they're not OK, and that I'm going to keep protesting no matter what they do," she says. Through his work at the Human Rights Law Centre, Mr Mejia-Canales says this sentiment is shared by protesters across the country. "Actually saying 'well, if the fine is $20,000 then I'm going to go do something really big and block the Sydney Harbour Bridge' for example, and we've seen some of that too," he says. "People should be able to speak up without having to risk going to jail. I think [the threat of jail] has been an unintended consequence of some of these really bad laws." For Justice, the anti-protest laws represent yet another barrier to the changes she wants to see. "It feels like talking to a brick wall," she says. "I feel more apprehensive, in some ways. "Of course I need to think about my future, but at the same time I think the cost of inaction is so much higher than any fine that you could be given. Measuring how much protests do actually incite change can be difficult. According to a study of world protests between 2006 and 2020, 42 per cent resulted in some demonstrable achievement, characterised as a direct or indirect response from opponents or society. However, it says changes to broader issues like climate change can be intractable. The feeling of nothing changing despite activists' best efforts is called "political despair". Analysing protesters' responses to this feeling formed the basis of Lucy Bird's PhD. "A lot of young people in particular [are] feeling despair about the fact that what we're seeing is really unjust, like we should be seeing changes but we're not," the post-doctoral researcher at Flinders University says. "Of people who do care about things like climate change and racial inequality, roughly 60 per cent say that they feel despair about this issue." Despite a feeling of stagnation and "despair", Dr Bird says activists' efforts didn't diminish. "We assumed that it would mean that people would step away because you just can't handle it. It's not nice to feel despair," she says. "But what we actually found is that even though people were feeling despair, they were continuing to act. "You can have really conflicting ideas about nothing's changing. Nothing's working. But also having this belief that it can change. Justice says she still often feels like her voice isn't being heard, but that's not going to stop her protesting in the future. "Protest works. That's why we do it. Protest is why I can vote as a woman. Protest is why we have working rights," she says. "I know that all the rights that I have now I have because people have protested in the past, which is also why I protest. "I want people in the future to have rights that I don't have yet."
