[Greens-Media] Police Threaten Court Action To Stop Greens MPs Holding Media Conference In Martin Place

[Christopher Holley]

Police Threaten Court Action To Stop Greens MPs Holding  Media
Conference In Martin Place

NSW Police have threatened eleventh-hour legal action against Sylvia
Hale MLC in order to stop the NSW Greens MP holding a media conference
with 21 mock world leaders dressed as lifesavers in Martin Place on
Friday morning at 11:00 am. The media conference is to be addressed by
Greens Senator Kerry Nettle and Ms Hale who will call on the APEC
leaders to take serious action to address climate change.

Ms Hale was served with a letter from NSW Police General Counsel
Michael Antrum this afternoon threatening legal action if the MP did not
agree to move the media conference from Martin Place.

“The reaction of the Police to my notice of intention to hold this
event appears to be excessive and beyond the scope and intent of the
extra powers granted to them by the Parliament” said Ms Hale.

“Nowhere in the APEC (Police Powers) Act does it state that the
making of political statements is banned in the APEC declared area, yet
that is what the Police are trying to do.”

“As I have outlined to the police, the event is a static media
conference with 21 people in lifesavers’ outfits providing a backdrop.
It is being held in an area open to the public. It is not a march or a
rally. It will not block any roadway or pedestrian access in Martin
Place. It will last less than an hour. It does not represent a threat to
the security of any person or place.”

“It is important that the Police do not try to use APEC and similar
events as an excuse to further erode our democratic rights, including
the right to hold a public event in a public space.”

“It is our intention to proceed with the media conference. If the
Police decide to take legal action I will be happy to put my arguments
before the Court,” said Ms Hale.

Contact: Chris Holley 9230 3030/ 0437 779 546