Thursday 21 August 2008 Take care of your online 'digital tattoo'
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'.
Barrister, columnist warn new law is fundamentally flawed
Proposed new Sexual and Violent Offences law will not work, and will cause a procedural breakdown in the courts, says experienced barrister Ken Archer. Two other barristers are also highly critical, while Canberra Times Editor-at-Large Jack Waterford says barring the media from court in such cases is counter productive. CLA agrees with the professionals who say that the legislation is rushed, biased and plain bad law.
Protest freedoms being strangled
The freedom to protest and rights to free speech are being strangled in Australia. CLA has long argued for enforcing the supposed right to protest free of interference in a designated area at Parliament House in Canberra. Now comes reports from South Australia where protestors weren't allowed to carry banners when Australian Prime Minister Rudd visited for a set-piece media opportunity.
'Controlled operations' = guaranteed police corruption
Police in the ACT have just received legislated power to break the law, and to allow criminals to break the law. CLA says this guarantees that there will be police corruption in the ACT within the next 5-10 years, if the pattern in every other jurisdiction in Australia and federally is followed. Only one politician spoke up, with CLA, against the bill.
ALRC weighs in with hefty privacy report
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 offering: you can read the ALRC's precis and key recommendations in its media release.
Hamdan driven to concocted injustice by Bush
The Hamdan case represents US 'justice' at a very low ebb. A concocted commission has ostensibly 'judged' a non-existent crime that was also both out of time and out of place. Dual qualified American-Australian lawyer Robert Briggs questions why the international media at least hasn't taken President Bush to task.
Know your rights...ASIO, the Police and You
What are your rights - and the rights of ASIO and police - under Australia's draconian anti-terror laws? This excellent publication, produced by the Australian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network, was released in its 3rd edition in July 2008. It explains the facts in simple, easily-understood terms. CLA's Asmi Wood was a member of the legal reference group who helped produce it.
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