NSW crackdown on youth

NSW crackdown on youth

By Jen Crothers

SYDNEY — The state Labor government will carry out at least one of its election promises if it introduces its proposed Street Safety Bill.

Premier Bob Carr said that he is prepared to compromise the privacy of young people if it means the streets are safer for older citizens. Police have welcomed the bill, which would empower them to split up groups of young people bigger than three if they have a "reasonable suspicion" that the group is likely to obstruct, intimidate or harass other people.

Despite much hype, there is no statistical evidence that crime is increasing amongst young people or in general.

NSW privacy commissioner Chris Puplick, acting president of the NSW Law Society Patrick Fair, the Youth Action Policy Association NSW and some Labor left MPs have condemned the reactionary proposal.

Paul Howes from the United Secondary Students Union NSW and Resistance told Green Left Weekly, "This is an outrageous attack on the rights of young people. There are hardly any places for us to hang out; then they blame us for seeing friends at the local shopping mall. It will give the cops the right to harass young people, especially Koori and non-Anglo youths, when no offence has been committed."

From GLW issue 248