ADOPTION

CM. 26.1.75.

The Council for Civil Liberties requests the Government to consider the introduction of amending legislation to ensure that upon an adoption application the Court shall have no discretion to take into consideration the religious adherence or lack of it of the adoptive parents.

HOMOSEXUALITY

CM. 10.12.75.

'That if the Royal Commission on Human Relationships decides homosexuality is within its terms of reference and if the Catholic hierarchy decides to challenge that ruling before the High Court, the Council for Civil Liberties brief Counsel to represent homosexual interests.'

LEGAL AID

AGM. 25.10.75.

The Government should be commended for establishing a National Legal Aid Scheme.

PRISONS, PRISONERS AND PRISON REFORM

AGM. 25.10.75.

'That the Council for Civil Liberties calls for the resignation of the Attorney-General Mr. John Maddison and the immediate setting up of a Royal Commission to inquire into all aspects of the Department of Corrective Services and in particular the handling by that Department of the events following the riot and fire in Bathurst Gaol in February 1974.'

THE MEDIA

AGM. 25.10.75.

The Council for Civil Liberties shares recent community concern with the monopoly ownership of all forms of mass media, the trivialisation in public affairs and the denial of a voice to minority interests.

FINGERPRINTS

CM. 2.1.75.

The Council for Civil Liberties requests the Government to introduce amending legislation to provide that fingerprint and photographic records relating to a charge or charges brought against any person which is subsequently dismissed to be destroyed.

The Council for Civil Liberties requests the Minister of Justice to consider the possibility of issuing instructions to the Police to destroy records relating to charges brought against any person who is acquitted or where persons are not committed for trial or are not proceeded against by nolle prosequi.

RUSHED LEGISLATION

Letter to Sydney Morning Herald (2nd April 1975).

Three Bills were introduced and passed through all stages in both Houses within one week. These three important Bills - the Indecent Articles and Classified Publications Bill, the Noise Control Bill and the Teaching Services (Amendment) Bill - are controversial and complex. Whatever opinion may be held about their merit, there can be no doubt that the public and interested organisations should have been given an opportunity to study the Bills and express a considered opinion upon them. "This opportunity was denied by the Government in its unseemly haste to push the Bills through before adjourning Parliament for 4 1/2 months."