Campaigners against the Barnett state government's proposed "stop and search" laws have welcomed the three month delay before the laws go to parliament. A parliamentary committee that was due to have made recommendations on March 25 has announced that its report won't be released until June.
The "stop and search" laws, if passed, would give police the power to stop any person without any reasonable grounds. Similar laws in Britain have led to dramatic increases in the rate of police searches for all people, especially people of colour.
Socialist Alliance Senate candidate, and campaigner against the laws, Ben Peterson told Green Left Weekly: "This delay gives us time to build a stronger public campaign against these laws, which is the main hope we have to defeat them. The next step is the rally for your rights outside state parliament on April 20."