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The Police Offences Amendment (Workplace Protection) Bill 2022 has passed Tasmania’s Upper House with a number of amendments but, despite the changes, the Bill remains unnecessary and disproportionate, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

“The Bill passed by the Legislative Council is undemocratic and too broad in scope,” said Fabiano Cangelosi, Tasmanian barrister and spokesperson for the ALA. 

“It completely ignores the legitimate role of protest in civil society as a means of improving it. It seems that the fundamental concern of the proponents of the legislation is the pursuit of profit at the expense of society.

“The legislation will do nothing at all to protect Tasmanian jobs, and nothing at all to protect resource reliant communities. Its only effect will be the chilling of political discourse in the wider community.

“There are ample existing powers in the current Police Offences Act. These additional laws are simply not needed.

“We already have sufficient laws in place to protect businesses and other organisations and we do not need more authoritarian legislation designed to restrict the freedom of individuals.”