The Australian government is seeking to introduce new espionage and foreign interference laws that threaten our democracy.
Liberal and Labor MPs say the Attorney General has veto power over prosecutions and will choose not to prosecute journalists and community groups. But if the government doesn’t intend to prosecute civil society for these new offences, why are they included in the bill at all?
Labor leader Bill Shorten says that the opposition “won’t support anything that punishes the charity and not-for-profit sector”. We welcome this statement. The Greens have already said they oppose the Bills in their current form. It is essential that the ALP announce that they will vote against the Espionage and Foreign Influence Bills while they include reference to charities.
A vibrant and vocal civil society who are not afraid to speak up are critical to a functioning democracy that seek to hold corporations and governments to account - and these laws put that at risk.
Tell Labor MPs not to support these draconian Bills.
Read more about the proposed bills here.