As governments worldwide cut back on prison numbers to save money, New Zealand is headed in the other direction, counter-intuitively cutting back on rehabilitation services, which will increase repeat offending and lead to more cost to the taxpayer.

The relatively new Human Rights Council has created new power blocs in international affairs. Australia will come under the spotlight in the four-yearly Universal Periodic Review, in early 2011, of how well we're doing as a nation in terms of ensuring the rights of Australians

With an appeal pending in the High Court from the SA Government because of the over-turning of part of its 'bikie' legislation, similar laws are largely on hold Australia-wide. In WA, motorcycle groups are getting active ahead of a likely mid-year introduction of anti-association laws to the WA Parliament.
(Photo: Club rally, Fremantle, Feb 2010: photo by JR)

Australia will not get a Human Rights Bill. Pale imitations - schools education program and PR campaign - are likely to feature in the 2010 Budget. But at least there's hope that the most undemocratic development in Australia's governance over the past 20 years, the rise of Ministerial Councils, can be wound back by pressure from the Labor Caucus. And it looks like the internet filtering (censorship) proposal has been 'parked' to clear the decks for a federal election, which has firmed up for a blessed weekend in October.

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The Howard and Rudd governments' response to the threat of terrorism in Australia has been extraordinarily excessive, under any proper risk analysis. It seems all governments like to ramp up fear, to keep the community docile. Here Chris Michaelsen highlights the real statistical risk of being caught in a terrorist act, and the continuing over-the-top expenditure.