Northern Beaches Review: Amnesty criticises NSW protest laws
Amnesty International has criticised new anti-protest legislation in NSW, saying it has a "chilling effect on the freedom of assembly".
It says the severe bail conditions given to activists who were arrested during last week's climate protests show the laws are putting the right to protest under threat.
"The Bail Act was intended to ensure people attend court and should not be used to segregate people," NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Josh Pallas said.
"The right to protest is a vital ingredient in a healthy, vibrant democracy," he said.
"Peaceful protesters should not be met with forceful responses and periods of incarceration."
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NSWCCL Statement on Bernard Collaery
Yesterday Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus ordered for the cessation of the prosecution of Bernard Collaery after last week agreeing that he was giving the matter “serious consideration” during an interview on ABC’s The Law Report.
NSW Council for Civil Liberties President, Josh Pallas said that NSWCCL has always maintained that Bernard Collaery should never have been prosecuted. “The Australian national security laws used to prosecute Bernard Collaery and Witness K are some of the most oppressive national security laws in the world.”
Read moreABC Radio National - The Law Report featuring Mark Dreyfus
Last week on the Law Report, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus discussed his hopes with Kristina Kukolja that the incoming Labor government could restore public confidence in our system of government. In a wide-ranging interview Mr Dreyfus outlined his legislative priorities including his commitment to a federal anti-corruption commission, review of whistle-blower legislation and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), media freedoms and the Privacy Act.
Read moreChoice Report on the use of facial recognition technology in stores.
Australia’s leading consumer advocacy group Choice has revealed that major retailers may be in breach of privacy laws using facial recognition technology in their stores. The Good Guys, Kmart, and Bunnings have been condemned by the group for not providing enough transparency about how the data they collect from their customers is used.
Read moreLetter: Intervention on behalf of Australian citizen Julian Assange
NSWCCL recently wrote to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to reiterate our call for the Australian Government to exert its diplomatic influence on both the United Kingdom and the United States to end the unjust prosecution of Julian Assange and to bring him home.
Read moreABC News: Victoria brings in 'gross indecency' laws
New laws criminalising 'grossly offensive conduct' have been introduced into Victoria's parliament today, ABC News reports. However, Criminalising something as broad as offensive conduct brings with it a set of complex challenges of definition and should be the subject of close scrutiny. NSWCCL spokesperson Stephen Blanks comments on new Victorian government law criminalising grossly offensive conduct.
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Joint Statement: Trade Unions, Civil Society & Human Rights Organisations add their voice to disallow NSW Anti-Protest Laws
Trade Unions, NSW civil society and human rights organisations are calling on the NSW Upper House to seize the opportunity to disallow the short-sighted, draconian regulations in the new NSW Government anti-protest laws through a disallowance motion introduced by Greens MLC, Abigail Boyd.
Read moreNSWCCL: Heavy Handed Policing a Cause For Concern
Yesterday, police visited a camp site at Colo Valley, resulting in several arrests of climate campaigners and the reported detention of approximately 30 people at the property.
“The reported policing over the weekend at Colo Valley appears to be heavy-handed and is cause for concern,” said NSWCCL spokesperson Stephen Blanks.
Read moreSubmission: Application of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Australia
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) seeks to provide protection to First Nations peoples worldwide. It establishes guidelines setting minimum standards for individual, cultural, and collective rights. The UNDRIP was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007 and was adopted by Australia two years later in 2009.
On 29 March 2022, the Senate referred an inquiry into the application of the UNDRIP to the Legal and Constitutional References Committee. NSWCCL has welcomed the opportunity to present a submission to the Committee, declaring that more can be done to better incorporate the principles and aims of UNDRIP into Australian law.
Read moreSydney Criminal Lawyers: “Cautiously Optimistic” NSW Council for Civil Liberties Josh Pallas on Albanese
Josh Pallas, President NSWCCL, sat down with Sydney Criminal Lawyer's Paul Gregoire to discuss Josh’s take on the new Albanese Government. Josh wrote last week that NSWCCL welcomes the end of the Morrison government, while it’s “cautiously optimistic” about the coming of Albanese and the changes it could bring.
"My views haven’t changed, I remain cautiously optimistic. The picture of the Nadesalingam family back in Biloela over the weekend were great and social services minister Amanda Rishworth’s early end to the trial of the cashless debit card for welfare recipients was another excellent news story.
The attorney general also sounds like he’s busy at work making preparations for the introduction of a national integrity commission. So, there are definitely promising signs." Josh Pallas said.
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