A former SAS soldier, the newest member of the WA Parliament, delivered a telling commentary on the erosion of civil liberties in Australia when he gave his maiden speech in March. "...a speech capable of making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up," said ABC reporter, Claire Krol.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's internet filter will be bad for Australia because it imposes censorship. But there could also be technical, commercial and cultural reasons - not yet examined - why the proposed filter might limit opportunities and increase costs. Here Ben McGinnes analyses some dark paths down which the filter could lead us.
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SA Premier Michael Rann, up for re-election in March 2010, is proposing that a defendant's personal history should be revealed to juries - before they decide guilt or innocence - so as to send more people to prison. CLA and the SACCL, plus most other knowledgeable legal observers, think Mr Rann is confusing conviction with justice.

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Victoria is one of the more enlightened states in looking after Indigenous people...but still the statistics are appalling, as this analysis by Keith McEwan points out. "Life is not so good for an Indigenous person living in Victoria...or, for that matter, anywhere in Australia."

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

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.

It's official! The UN says that the Rudd Government is acting in a racially discriminating manner and breaching international human rights obligations with its NT intervention. So says James Anaya, the Special Rapporteur, in his Advance report.

A man's serving five years in jail in Queensland for customs duty evasion, a federal offence. Anywhere else in Australia he would be free. Is this a fair go? Here Tim Vines outlines how 'justice' in Australia depends on where you live. And there's also serious questions about whether the government side abided by Model Litigant principles in the case.

As you enter the realm of the 'aged', you grow invisible, they say: younger people's eyes look through, over, around, beyond you. The rights of the aged is one of the focal issues for CLA in 2010: here Valerie Lipman proposes a UN Human Rights convention for older people.

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Ideological but illogical, inefficient and expensive...words that sum up how the Australian Government buys in its legal expertise, Ernst Willheim says in analysing the recently-released Legal Services Procurement Report. The report has some excellent recommendations, he says, but it should propose further unwinding of the current "unsatisfactory arrangements".

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Senator Kate Lundy (ALP, ACT), the most enlightened backbencher in federal parliament on IT matters, proposes 'opt out' options for all internet subscribers. Now, if only her party - particularly Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy - would listen. Read more » ...
Caption: CLA President Dr Kristine Klugman and Senator Kate Lundy discuss internet censorship.