Divisions within Labor over Premier Chris Minns’ proposed law changes
Other MPs argued the public display forced the premier’s hand. Minns could not be perceived as ignoring the issue, one argued, adding it was imperative to provide assurances that community members would be safe.
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“We have an obligation to ensure people feel protected,” said a government backbencher, noting the images of Saturday’s rally were circulating widely across social media.
Another MP added: “On one hand, you don’t want to give them a sense of legitimacy and a platform, but equally you don’t want to see things like what happened on Saturday.”
Minns said on Saturday he wrestled with the dilemma of not wanting to “give these pissants more oxygen” but wanted to send the message that hatred and racism were unwelcome on Sydney streets.
“But the truth of the matter is, I’ve decided that if you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile.”
Katharine Gelber, a professor of politics and public policy at the University of Queensland, questioned the necessity of new legislation, saying police already possessed powers to prevent the rally or arrest group members under recently legislated racial discrimination laws, known as 93ZAA.
“Every time there’s a problem like this, governments throw a new law at it. But they don’t enforce the laws they already have. The protest on Saturday violated law 93ZAA. If they don’t understand that, new laws are performative, not substantive,” she said.
“I genuinely don’t understand how a group of black-clad Nazis with a sign saying ‘Abolish the Jewish lobby’ isn’t inciting hatred.”
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