Labor needs a leader who listens – Chris Minns isn't that person

August 11, 2025

Premier Chris Minns has become a liability to NSW Labor. His refusal to listen — whether to his own MPs, unions, or the party’s grassroots — shows a stubborn arrogance that has no place in a Labor leader.

As John Menadue observed, Minns is “out of step with the values of the Labor movement and the principles of democratic participation". His championing of heavy-handed anti-protest laws, with penalties of up to two years in jail and fines of $22,000 for peaceful demonstrators, betrays Labor’s proud history of standing up for civil liberties and the right to dissent.

Senior Labor MPs, community leaders, and rank-and-file members have repeatedly called for him to rethink this approach. Instead of dialogue, Minns offers defiance – choosing to prioritise traffic flow and public order optics over fundamental freedoms. This is not leadership; it is a retreat from the values that have defined our movement for more than a century.

When a leader is so entrenched in his own position that he ignores the voices of his party and the people it represents, change becomes necessary. For the sake of unity, integrity, and the principles we hold dear, NSW Labor must replace Minns as premier.