The announcement that full body scanners will be used at Australian airports is drawing flak from many quarters. It is particularly galling, CLA says, that the Australian Government won’t allow “opt out” alternative procedures, as occurs in Europe and t…
The anomalous situation of the Family Court in WA, and the need for better resourcing of family courts everywhere, are poignantly highlighted after the tragic deaths of a mother and her two children from a family caught in a long-running dispute. Peter…
People found innocent in court are fully exonerated, and should be treated that way, CLA’s Rex Widerstrom says. With the hideous offence of sexual assault of children, it is better to focus more resources on programs to prevent the crime rather than to…
Women prisoners are locked behind razor wire in maximum security jails when they should be housed in much less stringent conditions, reports indicate. WA could solve its problem by building more lower security facilities and slashing the numbers in jail…
A man says he has been summarily dismissed, without a hearing, for describing a fellow worker as a ‘black fellow’. Conflicting rights are always difficult to resolve – what do you think?
‘Black fellow’ tag costs man his job
I worked in quite a big fac…
Why does our PM do something as stupid as putting the gay marriage issue to a conscience vote? We all know how she feels about the subject…and she’s up a tree.
CLA is concerned at the creeping trend throughout Australia to make more offences subject to “strict liability”. That is government lawyer speak: it means that, under these new types of laws, you have to prove you are innocent rather than the government…
The Chief Justice of the NT, Trevor Riley, has told a high-powered audience at the ceremonial 100th opening of the NT Supreme Court that Aborigines are discriminated against in Commonwealth law. This statement directly contradicts what the Australia…
Art well rated by Classy Board
Since Melinda Tankard Reist clearly trusts the judgement of the Classification Board (Canberra Times, Anti-exploitation campaigners urge ratings classification for art, 28 April 2011), she should be aware that the Henso…
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…
