Your Rights Archives - Civil Liberties Australia

Porter can lift us out of these ‘sad times’

29 May 2020 29 May 2020

The secret trials and sentencing currently running in the Witness K and Bernard Collaery matter could – and should – be stopped instantly by the Attorney-General withdrawing his permission to prosecute. If he doesn’t the injustice of it all will forever be on his head. He has the perfect excuse: he’s too busy crafting a national integrity commission, and also getting the nation back on its commercial feet after Covid-19.

1245 Tasmanians complain about photo ID

23 May 2020 23 May 2020

The Tasmanian government is downplaying how many people are upset by their transferring of all personal driver licence photos from Tasmanians to a national database without data protections laws in place. The government wrongly stated only 20 people had complained: the true number is 60 times that number, more than 1200.

City council on horns of smoking dilemma

19 May 2020 19 May 2020

Melbourne City Council is facing a conundrum: should people be allowed to vape in the open air? In the current State of Restrictions,Victoria, how far can you go in banning what health authorities say is a better option than people smoking? CLA’s submission will be considered at the Submissions Committee meeting on Thursday 2 July 2020 at 3pm.

Bike helmet fines are enough to do your head in

18 May 2020 21 May 2020

Australia was first to mandate wearing bike helmets to enhance safety for bicyclists. But the fines have gone crazy, police abuse propensity is huge and, as usual, the poor suffer more than others. A bike fine can even follow you into later life, and cost you a job. The fines are examples of Executive regulatory regimes gone feral, two academics say.

Trust is the issue when politicians want people to act

10 May 2020 10 May 2020

As the federal government seeks to influence people to download the C19 virus tracing app, it starts a long way behind square in being trusted. The problems are that Minister Stuart Robert announced the app using untrue statements, and the government has an awful record of being incompetent in safeguarding people’s data and privacy.

Canada illustrates the danger of ‘emergency’ laws

6 May 2020 6 May 2020

Fifty years after Canada’s most recent police state imposition, two academics warn about the repressive history of laws brought in to cope with ‘emergencies’. Citizens must not give governments powers that are certain to be abused by later suspension of civil liberties, police crackdowns and, with today’s and tomorrow’s technology, electronic Big Brother surveillance.

How does the government define privacy?

1 May 2020 1 May 2020

Privacy probably means something entirely different to you than it does to the Australian government, its police and security services. That’s why close examination of the upcoming legislation around the Covid-19 tracing app is so vital. Kelsie Nabben and Chris Berg comment.

Should you avoid being taken to the cleaners?

1 May 2020 30 April 2020

People are asking: what are my righs in relation to the Covid-19 app? The answer: you have freedom of choice, to download or not to download. But there are many considerations, and long-time 60 Minutes presenter Charles Wooley takes us through the pros and cons to help you decide.

What’s happening with uni students’ exams?

29 April 2020 29 April 2020

Students Austalia-wide are questioning why they should have software surveillance forced into their homes and their lives – without consultation – by the universities they are paying huge amounts to for tuition. CLA Director Eloise McLean reports on what’s happening at ANU…and there’s a petition to sign.

Is the government’s coronavirus app a risk to privacy?

22 April 2020 22 April 2020

Will you download a government app to allow them to trace you – and everyone you meet for more than a few minutes – over the next few months, or years? Law and criminology professor Rick Sarre weighs the pros, cons and the government’s track record before making his choice.