Roads and Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2022
The Parliament of New South Wales passed the Roads and Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 on 1 April 2022. The legislation amended the Roads Act 1993 and the Crimes Act 1900 to create new criminal penalties for protest activities. The incumbent Liberal-National Coalition Government introduced the Bill on the 30th of March 2022 to curtail the use of Non-violent direct action tactics by climate change protestors. The Parliament passed the Bill in the context of repeated disruptions to peak hour traffic on the Spit Bridge by Fireproof Australia activists and the use of Lock-on devices at Port Botany and in the Hunter Region by Blockade Australia. The NSW Greens and Animal Justice Party attempted to Filibuster the Bill in the New South Wales Legislative Council; however, the Government ultimately passed the legislation with the support of the NSW Labor Opposition. Legislative amendments The Bill makes it an offence to cause "damage or disruption to major roads or major public facilities". People found guilty of these new offences are liable for fines of up to $22,000 "or imprisonment for 2 years, or both". The Bill also empowers the responsible Government Minister to designate any road or public facility as a 'major