How will President-elect Barack Obama safeguard civil liberties and protect privacy? Believe it or not, he spells out what he hopes to do on his ‘Change’ website, which keeps people informed about the period of transition to full presidential power in Ja…
As the Australian Government gets ready to censor the internet, CLA is fighting back with ‘Action Email Cells’ – groups to take the fight to the government. (See Home page article, and lead story in newsletter).Meanwhile the November newsletter a…
Australians living in Britain will be forced to carry identity cards from November 2008 and pay about $75 for the privilege. A new law does not mandate carrying the card, but for all practical purposes you’ll be a non-entity without it. The card flicks a…
The debate about whether Australia should have a national Charter of Rights and Responsibilities will launch on 10 December, international Human Rights Day. It is hoped that the Prime Minister, Mr Rudd, will throw his weight behind the program to indicat…
A reflective John Faulkner, Special Minister of State and Cabinet Secretary, mused about the principles underlying privacy while presenting the inaugural industry awards in August. Read the thoughts of the man who will be responsible for Australia’s new…
The first years of the 21st Century have been bleak for civil liberties in Australia, says barrister and former Victorian Attorney-General, Jim Kennan SC. Our democracy is devalued, and we are the poorer nation for it: we must return to the rule of law,…
[lightbox /images/parlhouse.jpg[Parliament House Protestors – photo by Eric Li]][/lightbox]As video surveillance cameras multiply, so do the number of observers secretly watching. Parliament House in Canberra is boosting CCTV by 25% or more, to 500-plu…
Should communities try to solve social problems by using CCTV cameras? Aurukun in the Gulf of Carpentaria is facing that dilemma, and has decided to put in 18 cameras (one for every 70 citizens) monitored 600km away in Cairns.
‘The World Today’ on ABC R…
For this year’s Australian Privacy Week (18-24 Aug 08), the Government of Victoria has produced some simply-understood advice about how to look after your online identity, or ‘tattoo’. See ‘Don’t Regret Your Digital Tattoo’, and ‘Privacy and Security Ti…
Analysing the need for new privacy laws requires 2700 pages in three volumes, according to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Report 108, ‘For Your Information: Australian Privacy Law and Practice’. It will take months to dissect such a dense offerin…
