CLA’s policy on criminal justice
All Australians are entitled to protection from arbitrary arrest and unnecessary detention; to a fair, speedy and public trial; to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and to legal advice and representation.
Sentencing should be based on the principle of rehabilitation wherever possible.
The NT remains heavily unsettled as a result of the federal government’s intervention four years ago, a CLA research report reveals. There’s a clear need for increased human rights and civil liberties education and awareness, particularly throughout the…
‘Twenty years on, not enough has changed,’ says Eddie Cubillo,delivering the Elliott Johnston tribute lecture for 2011 in Adelaide. An Aboriginal man and the NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Cubillo describes the impact on his son as they return to…
The open access that the UK’s Independent Reviewer of terrorism laws, David Anderson, has to secret agencies “reflects the importance which our democracy attaches to rigorous independent scrutiny of the many exceptional powers given to authorities to de…
After four years of lobbying, CLA’s proposal for the government to report details about people we extradite to face trial overseas has been adopted by the Attorney-General’s Department. The AG’s annual report will in future carry reports of extradition…
Evidence is proving federal and state governments are hitting the wrong targets, the wrong way, in their attempted crackdown on major drug and other crime. Instead of confiscating the property and assets of the Mr Bigs of crime, it’s the Little Woman an…
Once again, this time in Sydney, a self-selected group of Attorneys-General from the West is meeting to decide – without reference to the Australian parliament – the shape of Australia’s future laws. It’s time MPs stood up to be counted against such ema…
At last, a type of War Powers Bill has been debated in the Australian Parliament! Greens Senator Scott Ludlam spoke on why we need such a bill in introducing the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2008 [No. 2] a.k.a War…
Street violence scaring young children in their own homes should have no place in our cities. But who protects us when the police are perpetrating the violence? Here’s an eyewitness account which throws up questions about where our society is headed.
Smoking today, alcohol tomorrow, food the day after? That’s the anti-free will road we’re heading down, says a smoker who tells his local MP that the only thing consistent about the government policy on cigarettes is its hypocrisy.
29 June 2011
Ms Gai…
A new law gives ASIO greatly expanded powers to spy domestically, and for the first time allows Australia’s spooks to spy internationally for economic reasons only. This is dangerous law, unjustified by the government, which has slipped through an acqui…