Police reveal plans for ‘anti-corruption’ rally across Sydney Harbour Bridge

An “anti-corruption” protest linked to anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists is being planned for the Sydney Harbour Bridge just weeks after NSW Police took pro-Palestine protesters to court before a planned march across the monument.

Senior police revealed during budget estimates on Wednesday that two further applications had been made for protests on the world-famous landmark, including one from a group known as Australia Unites Against Government Corruption.

The other application had since been withdrawn by organisers.

According to the Australia Unites website, the Australia Unites Against Government Corruption rally will take place from noon on September 13 in “all major cities in Australia, as we stand together against government corruption”.

“ We have lost confidence in our Government … Our powerful movement advocates for transparency and accountability, uniting citizens in the fight for a better Australia. Together, we can make a difference,” the website said of the rally.

The website states the event is being organised by groups including The People’s Revolution, which claim vaccine mandates are “unethical”, and MMAMV Australia, whose Facebook page includes calls for “unvaccinated breastmilk”.

Other organisers include “Leave Our Kids Alone advocate Craig Cole” – which claims to be seeking an end to the “sexualised indoctrination” of children – and My Place Australia, whose mission statement is to celebrate “our sovereignty”.

The My Place Australia website includes letters for parents and carers to give to schools, claiming “you and your child’s rights are being impinged by the school insisting your child be taught radical gender theory and inappropriate sexual content”.

The letters, including those for parents and children, claim to not give consent to teaching about “gender theories” and reference articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, among other international charters.

It is commonplace for participants of the so-called sovereign citizen movement to present material they claim nullifies Australian laws, often in reference to international laws and charters, not all of which have been codified.

Police did not indicate during estimates the planned route, duration, or potential impact of the rally and in a statement to the ABC confirmed they had received a Form 1 application and were “consulting relevant stakeholders”.

The event could prove to be a test of police powers after they failed to convince the NSW Supreme Court that last month’s March For Humanity should not be authorised, which would have granted police additional powers to make arrests.

Under NSW law, protesters are not required to receive assent from police before undertaking a march or rally. But, if a Form 1 is applied for and granted, it does afford protesters protection from being arrested under anti-assembly laws.

NSW Police had argued in court that they would not have been able to adequately ensure the safety of the march, which police said during budget estimates was attended by about 90,000 people, and officers had not been given enough notice.

The event ultimately went ahead without any major incident.

The rally was staunchly opposed by NSW Premier Chris Minns, who said he would not support any march on the bridge.

Appearing before the estimates hearing, NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said she agreed with police “and if that’s what the Premier said as well, then he was probably properly informed as well”.

Ms Catley also revealed the cost of covering 110 protests in Sydney under Operation Shelter was $11,295,206. The operation is around public safety in relation to the conflict in the Middle East.

She said officers were “exhausted” and “overworked”, being called in on their days off to undertake operations during protests.

“We have an overworked police force who is being called on regularly to attend any various number of events in the city,” Ms Catley said.