CLArion

Sept 2010 - Newsletter Uncertainty brings chance ofmajor change for the good

Civil Liberties Australia — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:19:17 +0000

A wise Australian polity has told its parliament: "You must do better". Given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, political parties and independents have the chance to improve structures and streamline operating systems for the good of the people. A long time ago, the chambers were places of philosophy and principle, where great ideas resonated and nation building began: CLA suggests some simple ways to start restoring people's faith in politicians.

This article was posted on the Civil Liberties Australia website.

Aug 2010 - NewsletterSorry election is a choicebetween Tweedledums

Civil Liberties Australia — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:00:34 +0000

It's a sorry choice facing liberties and rights people as Australia heads into the 2010 election. Three years of Labor have been disappointing, but the Liberals are unlikely to offer improvement. Meanwhile, unnoticed, the Senate is still operating and is continuing with a select committee inquiring into 'Reform of the Australian Constitution' that could change the shape of Australia's democracy and how we are all governed.

This article was posted on the Civil Liberties Australia website.

July 2010 Newsletter:New PM means rightsmay make a comeback

Civil Liberties Australia — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 05:46:10 +0000

The takeover by Julie Gillard as Prime Minister of Australia in June may mean there are opportunities to re-visit some issues thought dead under former PM Kevin Rudd's agenda. Among these is a bill of rights nationally. Such a bill has new momentum because Tasmania's Attorney-General and Deputy Premier, Lara Giddings, recently committed that state to seriously considering both a charter of rights and euthanasia legislation in the coming 12 months.

This article was posted on the Civil Liberties Australia website.

June '10 Newsletter:Fearful Rudd governmentspends big on security

Civil Liberties Australia — Mon, 31 May 2010 08:12:20 +0000

The 2010 federal budget papers show the Rudd Government is spending more than $500m to "further strengthen security" this year...but has allocated zero funds to further safeguarding the liberties and rights of Australians. The massive spending imbalance follows nine consecutive years of over-spending on police and security, ever since a terrorist attack on the USA in 2001.

This article was posted on the Civil Liberties Australia website.

May '10 Newsletter:Tasmania holds freshhope for human rights

Civil Liberties Australia — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:01:21 +0000

As the Rudd Government fails to honour traditional Labor policy to introduce a Bill of Rights, there's hope that the new Tasmanian Government may lead the other states by introducing just such a bill, already supported in a widespread consultation process across the island state.

This article was posted on the Civil Liberties Australia website.

Apr '10 Newsletter: Concern rises for the rights of older people

Civil Liberties Australia — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:33:17 +0000

A major report into aged care is ringing loud alarm bells in a sector of health care often not usually closely watched or supervised. CLA is preparing a campaign to help protect the rights of older people, and the mentally ill. Meanwhile, police car chases are top of mind, with an horrific smash killing four in Canberra, and the Queensland coroner producing a major report after a series of smashes and deaths in that state.

This article was posted on the Civil Liberties Australia website.

Mar '10 Newsletter - No Human Rights Bill, but blessed election?

Civil Liberties Australia — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:03:41 +0000

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.

This article was posted on the Civil Liberties Australia website.

Feb 10 Newsletter - War Powers, Veto emerge as election issues

Civil Liberties Australia — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:41:03 +0000

Is the way Australia decides to go to war appropriate for a democratic nation? What about formal reporting to the people on war progress, and parliament controlling the purse strings? These major questions will get more prominence in the lead-up to the expected 2010 federal election. Also on the agenda - as CLA prepares for its 2010 electronic AGM - will be the inequitable system where Australians living in the Territories can have their democratically-passed laws overturned just because a Prime Minister doesn't like one clause in them.

This article was posted on the Civil Liberties Australia website.