Four protesters fined, given warnings after NSW parliament passes tough new penalties

Despite parliament passing tough new anti-protest laws on Friday where protesters face up to two years jail and $22,000 in fines, four protesters were given much lesser penalties in court.

Four climate protesters from Fireproof Australia claimed words from Firefighter Greg Mullins motivated them to halt peak hour traffic on northbound lanes of the Princes Hwy in Sylvania on Friday.

Despite the introduction of stringent new laws passed in parliament on Friday where protesters who block major roads and disrupt ports around NSW will face two years jail and $22,000 in fines, some members of the group were at most given a fine and a warning to not engage in repetitive behaviours.

Grace Dugan, 40, Andrew George, 34, Ross Brown, 65, and Carmen George, 67, all pleaded guilty at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday for refusing to comply with direction without reasonable cause and wilfully preventing free passage of persons.

They were taken into custody on Friday by Sutherland Police after their unauthorised protest, where they could be seen obstructing the road, blocked morning traffic in Sydney’s south.

Strict conditional bail was granted to the group and they could have walked free, however they refused the option and all spent more than 24 hours behind bars before self-representing themselves in court.

Fireproof Australia and Floodproof Australia protesters block traffic in Sylvania on Saturday morning. Picture: Facebook

When Magistrate Miszalski asked each protester for their motive behind their behaviour, all members similarly expressed that they look up to Greg Mullins, former Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW.

“I listen to people like Greg Mullins when he said ‘the only way the government listens is by being the squeaky wheel and being naughty noisy Australians’,” Carmen George told the court.

George, who has previously appeared before the court for similar matters, was fined $400 for each charge.

Meanwhile Andrew George has made three court appearances for similar matters in a span of nine months, with Saturday’s case another addition to his record.

“It’s hard to get sympathy particularly when there’s a law that says when you don’t comply there are certain consequences that flow from it,” Magistrate Miszalski said.

Grace Dugan who is a registered practitioner has had no former convictions and was released with a warning that if she were to re-engage in similar behaviours there would be more significant consequences.

Ross Brown, who has also had no prior convictions, was fined what the magistrate described as a “moderate” fine of $100 per conviction.

Brown, similarly to his fellow protesters, said he was remorseful for the disruption imposed on motorists.

“I regret the inconvenience that I have caused people but I also feel that it’s important for me as a moral person to do what I can to draw attention to the fact that we are in an ecological and climate disaster,” Brown told the court.

“I’m quite concerned about my children and grandchildren’s future and for that I took the stand.”

In response to their pleas, Prosecutor Sergeant Clint Nasr had concerns about whether the protesters would re-engage in similar activity.

However Magistrate Miszalski warned all protesters that if they were to engage in similar behaviours, the penalties would increase dramatically.

“I accept that the squeaky wheel is the way you get attention but there are people in the world that have gone before you that have gone about things in a different way,” Magistrate Miszalski told the court.

“I’m mindful of what’s happening in the world, we had those horrible fires … and it’s horrific to drive through that landscape, however when you choose to do what you do and you’re given directions and choose not to abide by them there are certain consequences.”

Friday’s protest follows similar incidents by Blockade Australia which saw disruptions across Port Botany last month.

Parliament passes tough new anti-protest bill

Protesters who block major roads and disrupt ports around NSW will face two years jail and $22,000 fines after new laws passed the ­parliament on Friday.

The legislation amends the Roads Act 1993 and the Crimes Act 1900 to impose the tough new sentences on illegal protesters that disrupt roads, bridges, tunnels, public ­transport and infrastructure facilities.

The bill passed the lower house on Friday afternoon with support from the ­Opposition.

Deputy Premier and Police Minister Paul Toole said unauthorised protests have no place in NSW.

“While the NSW Government respects the right to protest, that must be weighed against the right of other ­members of the public to move freely and not be obstructed in public places. Illegal protesting has no place in our state and this new legislation demonstrates that we are committed to cracking down on this ­selfish, economic vandalism,” he said.

Protesters face tougher penalties under new laws. Picture: Facebook

The new offence will cover ports in Newcastle, Port Kembla and Port Botany, but Attorney-General Mark Speakman said the government intends to add more ­facilities.

It comes after weeks of commuter mayhem and disruption to operations at Port Botany from climate change protest group Blockade Australia, with two protesters banned from associating with the group and another jailed for four months.

While the bill was being ­debated on Friday afternoon, four more protesters were arrested for disrupting traffic in Sylvania, this time from Fireproof Australia.

The protesters – two men, aged 34 and 65, and two women, aged 40 and 67 – were granted bail to face Parramatta bail court on Saturday.

Fireproof Australia member Andy George said his group would not stop protesting.

“Nonviolent civil resistance is the only thing that will make our government act on the ­crisis,” he said.

“We will continue until our demands are met.”

Labor leader Chris Minns was a staunch supporter of the bill when it was read in the lower house on Friday, labelling the so-called protesters as “anarchy for anarchy sake”.

“Think about somebody that is stuck in a car accident at the airport tunnel at any point over the last three or four days when these protests took place,” Mr Minns said.

“Think about ambulance officers that are desperately trying to get to that accident but couldn’t because of gridlock affecting two to three ­million people as a result of protests in that part of Sydney,” he said.

“It is shameful to think that it’s appropriate to disrupt the lives of ordinary people as they go about their business in the pursuit of your own particular aims.”

Greens MP and member for Newtown Jenny Leong, who furiously campaigned against the crackdown on illegal protesting, said the bill would stifle democracy.

— by Jessica McSweeney and Madeline Crittenden