The Australian Government will inflict see-through airport scanners on Australians mid-year, in a move totally unjustified on facts, figures and research conducted here in Australia and overseas: CLA continues to fight for a ‘pat down’ choice at the very least (see video). It has been a mixed bag for liberties and rights recently: the High Court is backsliding on freedom of speech, whereas the Parliament has a last established a Human Right Committee, though it could prove toothless. The good news, which CLA welcomes, is that crime is down dramatically.
There are positive moves across the nation for better mental health laws and rules, and the Victorian Executive is of a mind to keep, and even entrench, that State’s charter of rights which once looked at risk. Age discrimination is being attended to, at the top end in terms of jobs and at the teenage end in terms of access to computer games. But, as usual, mixed signs are coming from the States and Territories across a range of liberty and freedom issues.
Other items in this issue include:
- Federal Govt to tackle corruption with another ‘framework’;
- Judges complain about unjust sentences: one complains about judges;
- Police chief seems to be growing a size or two too large for his boots;
- Woman’s murder appeal: minor sentence reduction only;
- New classification/censorship system proposed: have your say;
- State brings in online vigilante-enabling register;
- Barristers’ right to not be sued is being questioned again;
- New control order system is better, UK Reviewer says;
- US States seek to legislate ban on Sharia law; and
- Parking on the street is claimed as a ‘human right’.