PRESS RELEASE: ABG Supports Hon. John Ruddick’s Call for Public Plebiscites on Free Speech and Multiculturalism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sydney, 24 August 2026 – Australians for Better Government (ABG) today strongly endorses the Hon. John Ruddick MLC’s questioning of NSW Premier Chris Minns during Budget Estimates on the Premier’s repeated statements linking weaker free-speech protections to multiculturalism.

In the exchange, captured in Mr Ruddick’s X post, the Premier was confronted with his own words: “We don’t have the same freedom of speech laws that they have in the United States. And the reason for that is that we want to hold together a multicultural community.” Mr Ruddick rightly pressed the Premier on this trade-off and called for the people of New South Wales to be given a direct say through public plebiscites.

ABG strongly supports Mr Ruddick’s call for public plebiscite’s on whether free speech should be protected by the NSW Constitution and on what the State’s approach to multiculturalism should be. Both positions align directly with ABG’s longstanding position: that the Australian people—not politicians—must have the final say on fundamental questions of liberty and national direction.

“The people of New South Wales should be given a genuine say on whether they want robust free-speech protections and whether they wish to continue with the policy of multiculturalism,” said ABG President Steven Tripp. “These matters are far too important to be decided exclusively by politicians inside the NSW Parliament. For too long, governments of both major parties have imposed these policies without ever seeking a clear mandate from the public.”

ABG emphasises that democratic legitimacy requires the people themselves should have a say on decisions of this magnitude. It must not remain the exclusive domain of political elites.

ABG therefore calls on Premier Minns to proceed immediately with two public plebiscites in New South Wales:

1. On whether free speech should be protected in the NSW Constitution; and

2. On whether the people of NSW support the continued expenditure of taxpayers’ money on multicultural policies.

“The Premier has clearly presented his view that multicultural policies are more important than protecting free speech,” Mr Tripp added. “It is now time to put both questions to the people. Let the voters of New South Wales decide.”

ENDS

About Australians for Better Government

Australians for Better Government is a non-partisan advocacy organisation dedicated to reforming Australia’s democratic processes. Through education, public events, and policy advocacy, ABG works to promote greater accountability, transparency, and genuine representation in government for the benefit of all Australians. ABG’s extensive solutions and proposals can be found on their website www.australiansforbetter.com

For Editors

Contact: Steven Tripp, ABG President, Email: steven.tripp@australiansforbetter.com,

Tel: +61 433 401 281, Website: https://www.australiansforbetter.com

Further comments and photos are available immediately, on request.