Episode Details

New South Wales government and police are paying a steep price for defending controversial anti-protest laws—over $300,000 total—after courts struck them down as unconstitutional, ruling they violated political speech rights. The latest case, costing more than $117,000, involved laws enacted after a major attack and used during a February protest against the Israeli president. This isn’t the first blow: just six months prior, another government law expanding police powers near places of worship was also overturned, costing nearly $96,000. Internal Labor party debates had already raised concerns about legal viability. Activists call it a waste of taxpayer money and evidence of a crackdown on democratic expression, while the government insists it was necessary for public safety during a foreign leader’s visit. Some legal wins remain, like a case over major events declarations that cost $27,000, but protesters are still pursuing appeals to drop charges.

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