Australia - April 2026

On 16 April, the New South Wales Court of Appeal struck down state-level emergency anti-protest laws introduced following the 2025 Bondi Beach attack, ruling that they ‘impermissibly burdened’ the implied right to freedom of political communication under Australia’s constitution. The laws, enacted under the Terrorism and Other Legislation Act 2025, formed part of a ‘public assembly restriction’ (PARD) scheme that granted police broad powers to restrict public assemblies in designated areas for up to three months after terror attacks. This effectively prevented people from protesting without risking arrest. The ruling followed a constitutional challenge brought by civil society groups, including the Blak Caucus and the Palestine Action Group. The government had defended the measures as necessary to maintain public safety following the Bondi Beach attack. 

Sources: The Guardian, International IDEA, Amnesty International, ABC News, New South Whales Case Law

On 2 April, the federal government introduced the Secrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill, proposing to repeal or remove criminal liability for more than 300 federal secrecy provisions. Building on years of reform efforts and debates sparked by high-profile whistleblower prosecutions, the bill aims to strengthen safeguards for journalists, including requiring ministerial consent before prosecuting journalists or their sources for disclosing classified information. The bill is expected to proceed to a second reading as well as potentially face committee scrutiny, although no timeline for passage has been set. It remains to be seen how the bill advances through parliament and whether it reshapes protections for public interest journalism and access to information.

Sources: Attorney-General’s Department, Parliament of Australia, Human Rights Law Centre