Govt produces ‘worst legislation so far’
Data retention legislation is awful, but the Minister Dutton’s proposed ‘Refugee Riot Act’ breaks all the international rules about human rights of anyone, not just refugees, CLA says. 8 April 2015
Govt tries to repress journalists
Using secret police probes in a witch-hunt against journalists who reveal refugee processing abuses shows the government doesn’t believe in a free press, and doesn’t want informed citizens. 22 Jan 2015
Prisons Minister ‘blind to reality’
A sneering indifference to the poor is no way to run prisons and the fines system, CLA says. Ministers should represent all people, not just the upper class. 13 Jan 2015
Attorney-General makes prosecuting journalists a political decision
AG George Henry Brandis has announced that prosecuting journalists over spook revelations will be a mandatory political, not independent, decision. He should repeal the bad law instead. 30 Oct 2014
Victoria passes ‘sexting’ laws
New and enlightened ‘sexting’ laws will prevent young people from getting criminal – and sex offender registry – records just for innocent selfie photographs. Other states should follow suit. 16 Oct 2014
..and now police surveil mere protesters
No sooner does the ASIO alert level go up than police start interpreting it as licence to surveil political activists who are nothing to do with terror. 12 Sept 2014
Minister lashes out at ‘numpties’
WA Transport Minister Liza Harvey appears to suffer from the ‘Buswell disease’: an inability to sniff the wind of public disquiet, in this case over speeding fines. 28 July 2014
All states should ‘unconvict’ the innocent
All states and territories should follow Victoria’s lead and ‘unconvict’ people suffering the consequences of old, bad laws which are now changed, Civil Liberties Australia says.
Pollies should champion free speech
Purported policies for the March 2014 Tasmanian elections signal an imbalanced approach to rights. Politicians of all people should come down on the side of free speech, CLA says.
Abortion: right to choose, and protest
The right to choose an abortion, and to protest against abortion, are both important: CLA believes the Tasmanian government has got the balance about right in its new law.