2026-11-13
The Supreme Court of NSW has dismissed the latest attempt by the Minns Labor Government to prevent peaceful protest, giving the green light for Rising Tide’s family fun day Paddle for the Planetto go ahead at 10am at Horseshoe Beach, Newcastle, tomorrow.
Sue Higginson, Greens MP, Solicitor and Spokesperson for Justice, said:
“This is another resounding win for the community, climate action and Rising Tide and it’s an important win for our democracy. This is the sixth time that the Minns Labor Government has attempted to override our right to protest through the courts. The Premier keeps bringing these cases and losing, I’m calling on him to cease and desist these challenges once and for all. If he doesn’t understand or respect our democracy he should stand down,”
“The draconian overreach that Premier Chris Minns has led his Labor Party into has left so many people in his own Party and the community shaking their heads in confusion, did people vote for an out of control draconian police state when they voted Labor?”
“The court soundly upheld the important right for people to assemble and protest, and agreed that the potential risks of this protest on Newcastle Harbour have been suitably addressed by Rising Tide’s safety plans. The Court found that any remaining concerns raised by the Police Commissioner did not outweigh the importance of allowing political expression and protest,”
“The NSW Premier and Police Minister keep punching down on Rising Tide and our wonderful and caring community of climate defenders at the same time as writing standalone laws to legislate increased coal mining at the Mount Pleasant Coal Mine, you couldn’t make this up if you tried.” Ms Higginson said.