Like to do an intern project?
Are you considering undertaking an internship or research paper as part of your uni studies?
Have you thought about Civil Liberties Australia?
Civil Liberties Australia is happy to take on interns in a range of areas, including law, political science and media students. We’re also very happy to talk to IT and design students about whether we can find some mutually relevant work.
We have previously had students undertake interesting projects involving the Australian Border Force Act, digital rights, stun gun use in Australia, whistleblowers, coroners courts, Indigenous Australians and the law, environmental refugees and employer DNA sampling schemes.
As part of your internship you can expect to receive supervision from a member of our board (or one of our members) and be involved in the regular work of Civil Liberties Australia – including meetings with Members of Parliament and the judiciary and assisting us prepare media releases and stories.
To ensure you (and us!) can get the most set from the opportunity we will only consider taking on an intern where:
- You approach us before the commencement of the relevant semester (we will not take anyone who approaches us after the relevant academic period has started);
- You come with a sense of what area of Civil Liberties Australia’s work or civil liberties issue you’d like to focus on – we have listed some options below;
- You are prepared to attend at least one of our quarterly board meetings. These are held in Canberra on a Sunday but we are able to have people Skype or telephone in;
- You’re happy to help with some of the general work of Civil Liberties Australia (such as writing stories, responding to questions from members of the public, or helping with some of the media work); and
- The internship is part of a formal course of study at your institution.
While we don’t require you to be a member of Civil Liberties Australia to be an intern with us, where two applicants are otherwise equal we will take an applicant who is a member over one who isn’t. (Student membership is just $20 a year).
For more information please contact secretary@cla.asn.au
Topics of interest to us (we’re happy to discuss others with you)
- Rights for those on remand, and prisoners
- Environmental protests and local/national security
- Reform of the legal system, including IT initiatives
- National approach to bail and sentencing
- Anti-slavery provisions
- Better training, feedback and accountability in the court system
- Wrongful convictions
- Analysis and reform of proposed/recent federal anti-terror laws