VIC [Opposition/Lib Bill] Protests Must Be Registered, No Wearing Anonymous Masks Etc

Safer Protest with a Registration System and a Ban on Face Coverings Bill 2025

Opposition Bill

29 Oct 2025: This bill was voted against and will not be discussed further (Defeated).

Legislative Council

Legislative Assembly

Assent

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Topics

civil liberties exclusion orders face coverings protest public safety

Introduced by: David Davis MLC (LIB)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

organisers of public protests must register key details—like purpose, time, location, and expected attendance—with Victoria Police. This enables police to assess safety risks and suggest changes. Those participating in registered protests would gain legal protection from certain charges such as obstruction.
the wearing of face coverings at protests will generally be prohibited, unless a lawful excuse applies (e.g., religious reasons). Police could direct removal of coverings and arrest those who refuse, with breaches attracting penalties up to approximately $6,100 or three months’ imprisonment.
stronger “move-on” laws will return, allowing police to direct people to leave if their behaviour reasonably causes fear of violence or they have recently committed a public offence.
prohibition orders and exclusion orders may be issued—barring specific individuals from attending protests if they repeatedly incite or disrupt.
it will amend the Summary Offences Act 1966 to embed these new protest rules into existing legal frameworks.

News articles and press releases

Nazis don’t belong in this country’: Victorian premier scathing over masked march by ‘goons’ in Melbourne CBD

Natasha May - the Guardian — 2025-08-09

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has condemned “goons” who took part in a neo-Nazi march through the streets of Melbourne in the early hours of Saturday morning. About 100 people dressed in black with face coverings marched through the Melbourne CBD, including down Bourke Street, police said in a statement.\r\n\r\nPolice said they responded to a “pop-up protest” at about 12.40am on Saturday.\r\n\r\n“The protest group, carrying Australian flags and chanting, eventually walked to Flagstaff Gardens, where they dispersed at about 1.25am,” the statement said. \r\n\r\nFootage of the event seen by Guardian Australia showed rows of people marching in unison up the empty La Trobe Street, led by a group carrying a banner and flags, and playing drums and cymbals. They all wore black balaclavas or face coverings, except for the man at the front of the group. [Jacinta Allan] added in a statement on Saturday: “I thank police who maintained the public order. It’s clear they need more powers, and we’re giving it to them. “Our criminal anti-vilification laws come into effect next month. We will introduce powers for police to unmask cowards at protests after that.”

Hansard Speech - Vic Parliament

David Southwick (Member for Caulfield) — 2025-08-13

The final part of this bill deals with protecting people’s freedoms, because we believe on this side that those people who want to protest peacefully should be supported and police should be available to them to be able to do what they can to express their views. We will do that. We will back people that want to maintain freedom of speech, but we will not back hate speech. That is why this government needs to get on board and do something. 22,000 police shifts have been diverted away from keeping us safe in our communities to babysitting 500 protests, 95 protests in the city. Just ask the hotels association and the traders, who say over the weekend they have lost somewhere between 45 and 50 per cent of trade. We need these permit registrations.