Banning flag burning would be doubly unproductive, CLA says in response to an RSL call for a new law to that effect. Australian Diggers fought to ensure Australians enjoyed freedom of expression, which a ban would do away with. As well, forbidding flag burning could well be a strategic error: police might like to identify who is so hostile to Australia they are prepared to burn the flag.

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Mark Summerfield, a patent attorney, analyses the current UK alleged piracy/copyright extradition case with major international ramifications. As well, there's links to the NYT coverage of proposed new US laws which are even more draconian, and to an SMH story of the real-life experience of an Australian extradited and jailed in the US for a similar 'offence'.

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The resignation of Ombudsman Allan Asher, pressured by the Executive Government, highlights the need for greater independence of the office, and a return to proper funding. John Wood – himself a former Deputy Ombudsman, and now consultant to Pacific states on the role – relates the history and urges taking the vital next step in protecting such an important citizens' advocate.

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Photographers are some of those people most affected day-to-day by terrorism law restrictions. Here's a short film from the UK – 'Stand Your Ground' – which explores what happens when six photographers take to the streets of the City of London. Photographers in Australia face similar problems in going about their work and hobbies: try taking a photo in your city and see what happens.

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Phone data access being used to enforce fines

Police and crime agencies tapped people's phones and electronic equipment at the rate of about 10 a day last year – 3488 warrants were issued – while nearly 600 surveillance devices (10 a week) went into operation around Australia. Surveillance is on the rise, and privileged access to phone data is also increasingly being used for mundane activities such as collecting council fines and enforcing the dog act, via RSPCAs.

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The civil liberties of the people of Perth are under heavy threat as excessive policing marks the lead-up to CHOGM, the gathering of Commonwealth heavies in the WA capital at the end of October. Australia must demonstrate by its actions that it believes in democracy and the right to protest, CLA's Rex Widerstrom says

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Search engines like Google and social media like Facebook are increasingly giving up people's private, personal data to police and spook agencies who demand it...as well as themselves 'mining' it for commercial advantage. We are becoming less an individual and more a cipher, but new products may emerge to allow people to choose greater privacy.

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It's easy to defend free speech when you support a speaker's views. It's harder when you oppose them. Now, after the ruling in the Bolt case, free speech champions – even those who dislike and disagree with Andrew Bolt – should be speaking out, wrote CLA's CEO Bill Rowlings in the online journal, The Punch.

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