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copyright ©2011 Civil Liberties Australia | Canberra, Australia
CLA supports a review of Australia's Constitution to update it for the 21st Century.
Constitutionally calling Australia home
Article posted on Friday 20 January 2012The Editor, The Age: Your editorial “It`s time to cut racism from the constitution” (20 Jan 2012) contains a very telling point when it asks us to consider what message would be sent to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (and to the world) if they are not acknowledged as Australia`s first peoples and racially discriminatory measures in the constitution are not eradicated .
COAG: is it puppet-master, or legitimate cog?
Article posted on Wednesday 24 August 2011Is COAG, the Council Of Australian Governments, a legitimate cog in the wheel of the nation's federated system, or just an ultra-Constitutional marionette of the Kitchen Cabinet, playing States and Territories on strings? Two legal academics, Paul Kildea and Andrew Lynch, say COAG's situation needs resolving formally, sooner rather than later. "More worrying still is the diminished scope of parliamentary oversight and accountability to the people...," they say.
Refo-rendum: Putting race behind us so
the spirit of our country can find peace
Article posted on Friday 29 July 2011
Before the next election, Australians are meant to vote in a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in a preamble to the Constitution. But more than that needs to be done, former High Court judge Michael Kirby says, to rid Australia's founding document of racist overtones that blight our heritage and our future hope to treat all people equally, under the Aussie 'fair go' principle.
War Powers Bill 'debated'...?
Article posted on Thursday 07 July 2011At last, a type of War Powers Bill has been debated in the Australian Parliament! Greens Senator Scott Ludlam spoke on why we need such a bill in introducing the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2008 [No. 2] a.k.a War Powers Bill.
Who's to blame over bikie laws?
Article posted on Saturday 25 June 2011Angry emailers blame civil liberties groups for bikie laws being overturned by the High Court. But it wasn't us – we told governments the laws were over the top, and would be ruled invalid in the High Court. Governments and MPs should have heeded the constructive criticism from CLA and similar groups and prevented bad laws making it through parliaments.
Disturbing the status quo
Article posted on Thursday 02 June 2011How was democracy secured in Australia last century? September 22 marks the 60th anniversary of a memorable event, which should be celebrated in stamps, a TV series and inclusion on the history syllabus, author-historian Humphrey McQueen writes.
College president warns racism is
causing serious mental suffering
Article posted on Friday 27 May 2011
Social injustice, persistent disadvantage and racism are causing serious mental health problems for Indigenous people, Dr Maria Tomasic says in the lead-up to the annual conference of A-NZ psychiatrists. Dr Tomasic, president of their college (and also a CLA member), says constitutional recognition would help the self esteem and therefore mental health of Indigenous Australians.
Read article »...
General calls for war debates
Article posted on Thursday 12 May 2011
EXCLUSIVE: Parliament should be more involved in any decision to go to war...and even more involved in a decision to stay at war, says retired General Peter Leahy, the man responsible for our soldiers for most of the Afghanistan war so far. He calls for a clear statement of Australia's national interests and strategy, and debate in parliament and throughout civil society.
Aussies want rights, too!
Article posted on Thursday 10 March 2011The fight for democratic voting rights is not confined to the Middle East: Australians living in the Territories want them too. Imagine if laws passed by the Australian Parliament could be overturned by the UN Secretary-General, or by a UN vote...ordinary Aussies would be up in arms!
NT states equality claim
Article posted on Tuesday 15 February 2011
It's time for Australia to grow...by one State! So says Jane Aagaard, Speaker of the NT Parliament. She argues – as CLA does also – that Territorians should have the same rights as other Australians, and that the federal parliament should not be able to overturn the will of the democratically-elected local people.
ALRC needs support, boosting
Article posted on Sunday 30 January 2011Without a Bill of Rights, the Australian Law Reform Commission is one of the pillars safeguarding Australia's civil liberties, CLA has told a Senate inquiry. It should receive more staff and funding, and its independence should be publicly re-emphasised by the government.
Assange to be assassinated?
Article posted on Wednesday 08 December 2010A court ruling in the USA has opened the way for President Obama to order the assassination of Julian Assange – or even an American citizen – without trial, without conviction. To thwart extremists labelling Assange a "terrorist" and calling for his killing, the Australian Government should seek a public assurance from the President that he will not order the CIA to act "with extreme prejudice".
Committee system needs surgery
Article posted on Wednesday 17 November 2010
A two-day conference in November 2010 reviewed Senate Committees after 40 years operation, but most of the time was wasted on platitudes, CLA President Dr Kristine Klugman reports. However, two sitting Senators, in the final hour, started to peel away the facade and reveal why the parliamentary committee system needs major surgery. Read more (and listen/watch, if you wish)...
Photo: Dr Klugman with former Senator Robert Ray at the conference.
Referendum plan is misconceived
Article posted on Thursday 11 November 2010The Gillard Government's proposal to hold a referendum with a view to recognising Indigenous Australians in the Constitution will produce nothing substantive or useful, scholar and author Dr Bede Harris says. The move gives 'the appearance of doing the right thing without taking the risks inherent in pursuing real reform'.
Concrete law for the States is
but jelly for the territories
Article posted on Tuesday 09 November 2010
Irrelevant issues, such as euthanasia, should not derail the federal parliament debate over giving people from the ACT and NT equal rights to those enjoyed by Australians living in States, Prof George Williams says. The imbalance of voting power also needs attention, he says.
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