Freedom of Expression

A group made up of members of the arts and media industries has put together a press release to be distributed on Wednesday 4th October. The release can be downloaded here (just click). If you'd like to add your name to the release please click here to send an email. Unfortunately we only have the resources (mainly time) to add the names of organisations and not individuals to the press release.

We'd love to have the names by Wednesday morning.

The press release will be distributed to the media on Tuesday afternoon. Copies will also be sent to MPs from all parties and a copy posted on this site.

Well that last was an optimistic post. Two days after the ALRC released its report the Attorney General responded by saying that the Government did not intend to change its position.

To re-cap: there was a public outcry over the sedition provisions in the Anti-Terror Bill. The Senate Committee received an overwhelming number of submissions all but two of which recommended that the Sedition provisions be removed. The Senate Committee then recommended that the provisions be removed from the bill. The Attorney General refused to remove them but promised an ALRC review in the new year. Many submissions later, this review has also recommended that the provisions be removed. Two days later Mr Ruddock blithely considers ignoring it all.

Now would be a good time to write to your MPs expressing either outrage at Mr Ruddock's indifference to the ALRC review and/or that they will carefully consider and support the ALRC review when it's debated in Parliament.

More later.

Free Speech may yet remain a bright point of democratic light. The ALRC has released its report and, as expected, recommends that the term Sedition be dropped and that laws governing free speech be kept separate from laws governing the urging of violence.

As usual the ALRC Release is concise and well written so there is no point in my paraphrasing. Click away and read it for yourselves.

There is also a publication "Fighting Words: A review of Sedition Laws in Australia". I haven't had a chance to read it yet - sorry I've been away which is why I'm a little behind with this posting. Chapter 8 is the one to look at. I've now opened up this blog so people can post comments. If anyone has any comments about the ALRC report or what happens next or recommendations for should happen next, please do so by clicking on "Add A Comment" below.