CLArion Oct 2024: Priorities for next government

A Human Rights Act, reform of courts and evidence practices, as well as a wholesale overhaul of how we think about and treat Indigenous Australians, particularly the kids, are the priorities for the 2025 federal government from day 1. These are not party-political issues, but merely benchmarks for an improving and better Australian society for all its people. Civil liberties and rights people – all Australians – should demand no less.
 
Other highlights in this issue include:
•  Call for better prison reporting, restoring debit card basic rights 
•  Police ‘spin’ warps reporting – and police accountability – from the outset
•  CCTV surveillance in our cities getting out of (privacy) control 
•  Double jeopardy in reverse
•  $75m award for 10-year wrongful conviction
 

CLArion Sept 2024: Lies and spin take away liberties and rights

This CLArion addresses the types of lies, untruths and spin that end up costing us dearly in liberties and rights, which can cause tragedy as shown in children’s jails in WA and adult jails around the nation. The WA Department of Justice has admitted lying…but how many other departments, agencies and police/prison bodies are doing the same? 

CLArion Aug 2024: Govt should act urgently on rights and liberties

With a federal election only months away, the government needs to lift its game over citizens’ liberties and rights if it is to be re-elected. The ballyhooed promise of a National Commission Against Corruption is not being realised, Robodebt repercussions remain unresolved, campaigning internationally against the death penalty is moribund, and a strong parliamentary committee drive for a thorough overhaul of human rights, including a new federal Human Rights Act, languish for want of a formal government response. Maybe the newly sworn in Ministry will help, but it’s really a swift change of attitude, followed by more urgent positive action, that’s needed.

 

CLArion July 2024: Top to Bottom, corruption and culture overhaul needed

Darwin becomes the corruption capital of Australia this month as a major conference alights on fertile soil in the Top End. In the Far South, politicians are trying to solve judicial dilemmas by changing the deck chairs, when it’s the state’s culture,  secrecy and establishment that lies at the core of most problems. Both jurisdictions need a Human Rights Act to help save the little people from the powers-that-will-always-be. Meanwhile, the federal HRA campaign is quiescent, but boosted by Australians realising how important Julian Assange’s rights and liberty became to most of us. 

CLArion June 2024: Time for a Human Rights Act !

A federal parliament committee has urged the Albanese government to enact a Human Rights Act for Australia. The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Labor MHR Josh Burns, made 17 wide-raning and positive recommendations in a report released on 30 May. Australia needs to protect human rights in law like other liberal democracies do, mount a major national education campaign, and school all public servants to fully consider human rights. Parliament itself needs to scrutinise human rights much more closely, the committee also says.

Tassie to get Human Rights Act?

For the second time, the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute is urging its parliament to pass a Human Rights Act to benefit the citizens of the state. Following a strong recommendation in 2007, the TLRI has released its 2024 Update, calling for MPs to pass a Human Rights Act, for all laws passed by parliament to be compatible with it, and for a ’no rights without remedy’, direct way for Tasmanians to access justice if their rights are breached by bureaucrats.