Death is certain, but older people observe frailer elders closing on finality in nursing homes and think there should be a better way, and an ultimate choice, without penalty. Former ACT Speaker Greg Cornwell believes it’s time for a national referendum.
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The government often hands out toys for the boys, like $400,000 ‘Batmobiles’ suitable for feature roles in movies. But it is less keen on reforming excessive anti-terror laws, imposed in haste and fear over the past decade. Dr Chris Michaelsen ana…
‘The cause for which we stand and when we must, fight, is freedom,’ says Malcolm Turnbull in a thoughtful analysis of effects from the WikiLeaks/Assange matters. He also points out that the High Court in Australia is unlikely to protect the secrets of a…
The Human Rights Commissioner’s 2004 report paved the way for release of refugee children from detention. We’ve regressed: now more than 900 kids are behind bars and razor wire. It’s time for some moral leadership from the top, writes the author of that…
Other nations, like Britain, can review and wind back oppressive, over-the-top laws created in panic after the Twin Towers aircraft attacks in New York 10 years ago. If so, why can’t Australia, asks Prof George Williams, where some of the laws are the w…
Harmless-sounding international conventions are the latest favoured way for governments to sign away individual liberties, and allow international spying on private data. Anti-rights ‘crimes’ are increasingly being committed by our politicians in the na…
As Australians strive to recover our dead from Fromelles in France, stemming from a war a century ago, perhaps we ought to support demands in East Timor for Indonesia to reveal where it buried the skeletons from a more recent massacre?
People will often say, about liberties and rights and freedoms: “That’s what our Diggers fought for!”
But what have Aussie ‘Diggers’ fought for over 100-plus years: what are they fighting for now? We’re seekin…
Ultra-conservative columnist Andrew Bolt riles people with his cutting words. Now a noted QC is gunning for Bolt in court on behalf of Aboriginal clients, denying Bolt’s right to free speech. Barrister’s Ron Merkel’s courtly claims sound most unlike the…
The Greens would opt for a Bill of Rights for NSW, whereas the Lib/Nats wouldn’t. That’s one of the prime differences in policies to emerge when CLA asked key parties standing for the NSW election on 26 March where they stood on freedoms and rights issu…