Call for safer protest measures in Victoria

The Nationals' Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, has backed moves to introduce a registration system to make protests safer across Victoria.

 Recently in Parliament, The National's and Liberals brought forward the Safer Protest with a Registration System and a Ban on Face Coverings Bill 2025 in Parliament.

Mr McCurdy said while peaceful protest is an important part of democracy, recent years have seen a concerning shift.

“Too often we’ve witnessed protests that create chaos, blocking intersections, delaying emergency services, and putting police and the public at risk,” he said.

He pointed to incidents in Melbourne where major roads were brought to a standstill, costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars and tying up police resources that could have been directed to tackling crime.

The proposed Bill would:

• Protect the right to protest while ensuring other Victorians can go about their lives safely;

• Allow police to plan ahead and allocate resources more effectively;

• Align Victoria with other states that already require protest registration;

• Give police the authority to request individuals remove face coverings, except where worn for religious reasons.

“This isn’t about shutting people down, it’s about protecting communities, businesses and workers,” Mr McCurdy said.

He added that a registration system would allow Victoria Police to work more closely with organisers to keep demonstrations safe and minimise disruption.

“Victorians are tired of the mayhem. They expect the Allan Labor Government to take responsibility and act. We live in a free society, but freedoms must also come with responsibility.

People deserve to feel safe, whether they’re part of a protest or simply passing by.”