[5] In exchange for Opposition support for the Bill, NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns negotiated an amendment to exempt participants in industrial activity from new criminal penalties.
Labor Left representative, Rose Jackson, stated that she supported the new penalties "...being used to target rogue individuals who completely disrupt peak hour traffic on the Spit Bridge, on our ports...".
[13] Chris Minns echoed accusations of violence in an interview on 1 April 2022, stating that: "These are guerrilla activities designed to disrupt millions of people from going about their daily work and something needs to be done about it".
[14] Coalition and Labor representatives have controversially claimed that Blockade Australia protestors are engaged in 'violent' activities despite the non-violent nature of the protests at Port Botany and on the Spit Bridge.
[15] Despite the majority of NSW Labor members supporting the Bill in a caucus meeting, the position adopted by Chris Minns and his Shadow cabinet was controversial amongst some back-bench opposition MPs.