New South Wales Premier Chris Minns is facing a significant backlash from within his own Labor caucus over his opposition to a pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The march, which took place on Sunday, drew an estimated 90,000 to 300,000 participants after the NSW Supreme Court overturned a police decision to refuse a permit on public safety grounds.
Several Labor MPs, including Energy Minister Penny Sharpe and frontbencher Jihad Dib, joined the protest. Other MPs, such as Stephen Lawrence, Lynda Voltz, and Sarah Kaine, were at the front of the march alongside former Premier Bob Carr. Lawrence criticised Minns' stance, calling the idea of suppressing a mass protest in the name of public safety 'risible'. He noted that organisers had offered to delay the march, but the offer was rejected at a political level.
Minns defended his position on Monday, stating he did not regret opposing the march and that his job was to 'be on the side of public safety'. He foreshadowed a possible appeal against the court ruling and did not rule out legislation to restrict future protests on the bridge, saying, 'No one should believe that it's open season on the bridge.'
Internal tensions are rising, with members of both the right faction and soft left expressing dismay. One right faction member said, 'There's a sense that our policy positions are at the most conservative end of the spectrum.' Another added that the left faction has been 'completely missing in action' on progressive issues. Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey stated that the government's role should be to 'facilitate peaceful expression, not obstruct it'.
The Greens MLC Sue Higginson said Minns 'has lost authority over his own caucus'. Caucus members are planning to move a motion condemning conditions in Gaza and endorsing the right to protest when they meet on Tuesday.
