Annoying Laws Dropped
Two Sydney activists from the No To Pope coalition have managed to overturn the controversial, draconian laws that were introduced for World Youth Day.
As reported today in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Federal Court found that the laws, that would have stopped them from handing out leaflets and condoms this weekend, was actually invalid in law. According to the court the World Youth Day Act was essentially “repugnant to fundamental rights and freedoms at common law in the absence of clear authority from Parliament’’.
The court also found that Clause 7.1 of the act, which mentioned “annoyance”, was not valid because it affected “freedom of speech in a way that, in [their] opinion, [was] not supported by the statutory powers’’. The concept of “annoyance” was also deemed to have “no intelligible boundary’’.
The use of “inconvenience” was found to be a more tangible concept – it’s essentially interpreted as including “disruptive behaviour” and “behaviour that might give rise to a risk of public safety”.
Rachel Evans, one of the activists who challenged the laws, spoke to media outside the court, calling it a “major victory”. She said that now the protesters can wear their No To Pope t-shirts, they can distribute condoms and literature, and they can convey their message peacefully without fear.
Well done to both Rachel Evans and Amber Pike, for standing up to defend these fundamental rights. Lets hope the rally and the kiss in this weekend pull huge numbers.
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GenesisInVain
said ages ago