NSW Police Force and Night-Time Economy - Take Note
Ms CATE FAEHRMANN (15:00): I take note of that same response by the Minister. We have the same drug laws as Melbourne's, but you do not see that type of behaviour by the police in Melbourne in 2026.
We have the same drug laws as many countries around the world, but New South Wales, particularly Sydney, has a global reputation for police harassment and intimidation, absolutely outrageous tactics, all under the guise of suspicion of possession of drugs, which is over and above anything that happens in any other jurisdiction. What happened on Saturday 13 June happened during Pride Month, when the LGBTQI community not only comes out from Sydney, New South Wales and Australia but also travels around the world, to different Pride celebrations, so international travellers were there, as well. It happened at not only Universal but also Kinselas and Palms. There are reports of a young man on Oxford Street being surrounded by police, his hands cuffed behind him, in front of patrons. He was humiliated. Eventually he was let go. Apparently, the police undertook something like 93 searches and 42 detections, and there was one finding of drugs in that time.
This Government loves to talk up what it is doing to open up Sydney's night-life, to support venues, to throw so much money at them to stay open and say that Sydney is open to the world, and then this is what happens on what is supposed to be our Pride street. The rainbow colours are across Taylor Square, and police officers are walking up and down, harassing and searching people. I have said this before, and I will say it again: This is impacting people going out on the weekend and people coming back to Sydney. I have spoken with people who have said that Sydney is absolutely out of control when it comes to how they deal with police officers and drug dogs.