You'd think, from all the posturing by Law & Order (LO) politicians through Australia, that crime was up, but it is down. But what's really up is the prison population, by 36% (or 7759) from 21,358 to 29,317 over the past 10 years. At nearly $100,000… more »

Deciding what goes into our bodies is a basic human right: why then do politicians interfere selectively in our freedom to choose? Regulation and education could take supply of drugs away from criminals, and let adults make their own, educated decisions… more »

Portugal decriminalised personal consumption of drugs almost a decade ago, showing a lead to other advanced nations. It is also about to introduce an innovative national alcohol program. Advisor to the national drugs board, Fatima Trigueros, reports in d… more »

CLA is often asked about rights concerning drug tests in the workplace. Here two Australian academics discuss the usefulness of drug testing procedures and, among other issues, question whether mandatory testing can actually hide some problems that shoul… more »

News coverage of America's Taxpayer March on DC, 12 September 2009, shows hundreds of signs with words now given new meanings: communist, socialist, fascist, Nazi. Equating the current American administration with any of these demonstrates ignorance, or… more »

A Bill before the Queensland Parliament will give that state's Police Commissioner the power to sell seized drugs 'without limits'. The provision is tucked away at the back end of a prisons Bill yet to be passed.Qld police chief to get power to peddle… more »

As New Zealand's former Prime Minister, Helen Clark, puts her hand up for a top UN job, how does NZ's record on human rights compare with Australia's, where a bill of rights consultation is just starting? Sabine Elvy takes a closer look at our near-neigh… more »

Neglect of social issues has swelled the number of indigenous people, particularly youth, in State jails and detention centres, former Labor Premier Peter Dowding says. The new WA Liberal Government deserves the opportunity to show it can make a differen… more »

CLA has launched a campaign to stop the Rudd Government imposting mandatoring internet filtering - censorship - on adult Australians' access to the internet. The campaign consists of a new website - http://www.censorfree.com.au/ - and a series of eve… more »

As the Australian Government gets ready to censor the internet, CLA is fighting back with 'Action Email Cells' - groups to take the fight to the government. (See Home page article, and lead story in newsletter).Meanwhile the November newsletter a… more »

If Schapelle Corby is innocent, the Australian media have become her persecutor. So writes CLA member Roger A.Smith, probably Australia's most experienced, hands-on observer of the Indonesian legal system, in this letter to a writer on The Australian ne… more »

When an Indigenous girl is gang-raped, sometimes the justice system goes on trial. But what of our society and ourselves, by inattention permitting a festering inequity that breeds an inevitability of trouble. Peter Applegarth SC of Queensland Council fo… more »

CLA says the ACT Government's review of the Road Transport (Alcohol and Drugs) Act raises serious 'fair go' questions about whether random drug testing (RDT) is either appropriate or viable; whether delaying 1 in 7 drivers tested for 30 minutes is reason… more »

Secrecy is the golden staph infecting government and bureaucracy throughout Australia. CLA often rails against it in whistleblowing, FOI, federal police and ASIO areas, but here's medical proof of how bureaucratic control freaks in government are harming… more »

A bill prohibiting discrimination and bias by health insurers and employers based on people's genes has passed both Houses of the US Congress by a vote of 509-1. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act is a powerful shield for Americans. Meanwhile,… more »