The February bulletin has details of a CLA letter to Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, asking him to intercede on behalf of an Afghani journalism student sentenced to death for what we in Australia would call normal and democratic university activity. There is information also on a small team analysing proposed changes to mental health laws planned for the ACT, which may be forerunners of national legislation, as well as details of other CLA projects.CLA is also expecting to meet with AttorneyGeneral Rob McClelland to discuss our Australia Day letters on:
a. how Australia declares war,
b. equal rights for Territorians and
c. a CLA proposed inquiry into civil liberties in Australia.
A planned meeting in late January had to be postponed at the last moment when the AG hurried< to Indonesia to represent Australia at the funeral ceremonies for former President Suharto.
Other highlights featured in this month’s CLArion include:
- AFP Commissioner Keelty on wrong hobby horse;
- Customs plan to increase surveillance on phone callers;
- CLA asks Foreign Minister to protest over Afghani death sentence;
- WA puts human rights legislation on hold;
- Munir killing: pilot found guilty…again;
- Britain drops ‘War of Terror’ slogan;
- Number plate cameras to go Australiawide;
- FBI plans to put criminals’ names in lights;
- Court gives US military carte blanche to torture; and
- Germans file mass lawsuit against data retention laws.
Previous CLArions (pdf files) are also available: