Report
Protest law in New South Wales
This paper examines the right to protest in New South Wales and the central role of the Summary Offences Act 1988, which encourages co-operation between protesters and police. That Act can also result in courts issuing ‘authorisation’ and ‘prohibition’ orders. The effects of those orders are discussed.
Report
Natural disasters: strategies and responses
Planning for natural disasters and dealing with their aftermath involve input from federal, state and local governments, emergency agencies, non-government organisations and affected communities. This paper focuses on the ‘black summer’ bushfire season of 2019-20 and major flooding in 2022 in New South Wales.
Report
Integrity in government: recent issues and developments
Integrity in government has been a key issue in New South Wales for decades. This paper examines a range of topical issues including the funding model for integrity agencies, the regulation of political donations and lobbying and pork barrelling.
Briefing paper
Uranium mining and nuclear energy in New South Wales
The main focus of this paper is to provide Members of Parliament and the New South Wales public with an overview of the key issues surrounding uranium mining and nuclear energy in NSW.
Briefing paper
The High Court’s decision on third-party campaign spending
This paper re-caps the events which influenced electoral reforms in 2018, before examining in greater detail the relevant legislative provisions, the concept of implied freedom of political communication under the Constitution, and the reasoning of the High Court in Unions NSW v New South Wales.