It’s time to restore balance on the streets of Melbourne

Victorians have always valued free expression and the right to protest, but they also expect to live, work and move about safely. Right now, that balance has been lost.

From anti-Semitic rallies outside synagogues to climate activists blocking roads in peak hour, our streets have become increasingly unsafe, disorderly and unpredictable.

For more than a decade now, the now Allan Labor government has stood by while public confidence erodes, police resources are stretched to the brink, and small businesses and local residents are left feeling helpless.

That’s why the Liberals and Nationals have announced a new plan to restore order and respect on our streets. Under our proposal, Victoria will finally introduce a protest registration system which will bring us in line with every other mainland state in Australia.

This system, based on the New South Wales model, makes police, not local councils, responsible for registering and managing protests. That means Victoria Police can properly assess risks, advise organisers, and allocate resources to ensure protests are safe and lawful.

Those who register and comply with agreed conditions will have their right to protest protected under the law. But for those who refuse to register and proceed in a way that endangers others or defies lawful directions, there will be real consequences – including move-on orders, exclusion zones, and for serious or repeat offenders, jail time and hefty fines.

This is not about silencing dissent. Peaceful protest is a fundamental part of our democracy. But that right must not come at the expense of others’ safety, livelihoods or freedom of movement. The current free-for-all has made our city unliveable for many, and it cannot continue.

Victoria is the only state without a statewide system for managing protests. That’s not something to be proud of. Police have repeatedly asked for these tools, business groups have echoed the call, and I reckon most average Victorians would think it’s the right idea. It’s time the Labor Government listened.

We read reports just this week that Labor is divided on this issue, with the Deputy Premier Ben Carroll leading the charge for protest permits against a Premier who just won’t act.

This can’t be an issue where divisions inside Labor mean that protesters continue to run riot on the streets of Melbourne.

Our plan is fair, practical and in line with human rights law. It supports police, protects peaceful protest, freedom of speech and gives small business, and all Victorians, confidence that their streets won’t be shut down or hijacked without accountability.

Labor has failed to act. We will.

It’s time to restore order, protect the public, and return some common sense to how protests are managed in Victoria. •

Evan Mulholland MP is the Liberal Member for Northern Metropolitan Region