The first of the national consultations got under way last month, examining what civil liberties and human rights Australians should have. CLA was there, and you can read what we thought of the inaugural meeting (thre’s a link to when upcoming meetings will be held elsewhere around Australia). There’s also news of submissions on blasphemy, murder and securing funding through improved Proceeds of Crime legislation.
Read this issue….
ASIO has a new chief, while the government has parked the former ASIO boss in New Zealand for a few years: it may be there’s some behind-the-scenes turmoil in the spook agencies. Meanwhile, whistleblowers in the Public Service are hoping that 26 new recommendations from a parliamentary inquiry might – at last – bring in a practical system fair to everyone.
This issue of the CLArion also highlights the fact that groups throughout the world are starting to call for the winding back of the excessive anti-terrorism laws and operating principles which resulted from the panic reaction to the 11 September 2001 aircraft attacks on the USA. It’s well past time Australia’s oppressive new laws were reviewed – how about it, Mr Rudd and Mr McClelland?
Other issues featuring in this month’s CLArion include:
- Coronial recommendations are being ignored;
- It’s official! Stun guns CAN kill, Canada says;
- Qld civil liberties to launch 40th anniversary book;
- Minister refuses to reveal details of new e-health plans;
- Senate inquiry will tackle vagaries of Oz legal system;
- Women seek equity over pay and work;
- Officials try to railroad photographers with false ‘rules’;
- Taser ordered to pay $2m to lawyers over stun gun death;
- Iran should honour commitments, free Bahais;
- House of Lords says surveillance undermines freedoms; and
- Crime labs severely unreliable, study shows.
This month’s CLArion is available here.