Letter to the Editor
Protest Regulation
The recent Sydney Harbour protest in support of a foreign event, that blocked access for those getting to work, emergency services and public, costing police time and expenses estimated to be $2m plus the cleanup required afterwards, has to be paid for by all taxpayers, it is a forced expenditure on an unnecessary event most are opposed to. It was in support of a foreign event caused by Hamas terrorists now proved to be a mass of false reporting, and has nothing to do with Australia, foreign instigated protests should be banned along with any that support terrorism as they do not involve Australia.
The cost of this and all protests have to be met by taxpayers including the massive majority who disagree with the issues. In a democracy users must pay for services, this must apply equally to protestors, if not, then there must be the same free services applied to all, free council rates, transport, registration and government fees.
To keep equality in our democratic system there must be a registration fee for all protest groups, who are responsible for charging a fee of $20 for all those who register to protest with responsibility to see none others join without paying. The protest would be filmed with an AI crowd count at $20 per person would be levied upon the organisers who would be charged that amount.
Protest organisers should be required to provide a public liability insurance cover; and an estimate of attendance and lodge this fee with government before any approval is provided, film evidence of more than the estimated attendance would be payable in full and recoverable at law.
While protests are a valid part of democracy, so is freedom of road use which includes emergency services and those going to work which must prevail. Protests must be removed from road obstruction and transit areas and confined to specific designated areas of parks or recreation areas.
Sincerely
G J May
Forestdale
