Statements
Richard Griggs, Civil Liberties Australia: unwarranted overreach into free speech
Civil Liberties Australia is repeating its concerns with proposed laws to crack down on ‘illegal’ protesters,
“Existing laws of trespass and public nuisance adequately deal with this situation. Anything else is unwarranted overreach into free speech,” Richard Griggs, Tasmanian Director of Civil Liberties Australia, said.
“There are competing rights at play here. On the one hand, workers have a right to access their place of employment. On the other, the community has a right to free speech.”
“Existing laws balance these rights and have allowed Tasmania Police to step in an peacefully resolve protests without the need for the large mandatory fines and jail terms proposed by the Government.”
For full outline of CLA concerns: opinion piece first published in The Mercury 21st of December 2013:
http://www.cla.asn.au/News/in-defence-of-peaceful-protest/?zoom_highlight=richard+griggs
Richard Griggs, Tasmanian Director of Civil Liberties Australia