EFA’s 2017 Wish List
As the new year approaches, it’s again time to set out our Wish List and priorities for the year ahead. This list repeats many of the same topics as last year as there has been little movement on many of these issues, partly due to the election interrupting the legislative programme, but also, we’d suggest, […]
Despite changes, terror law will still curb press freedom
The government last week published a report from Roger Gyles, the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, on the controversial Section 35P of the ASIO Act. Attorney-General George Brandis intends to introduce amendments to the act that incorporate Gyles’ recommendations. This will go some way to making it more difficult to prosecute journalists under Section 35P. But, […]
EFA welcomes proposed amendments to section 35P
EFA welcomes Tuesday’s announcement by the Attorney-General that the government has accepted and intends to implement all of the changes to section 35P of the ASIO Act that have been recommended by the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor. Section 35P of the ASIO Act was added in 2014 as part of the government’s first ‘tranche’ […]
Attorney-General must properly resource Information Commission
EFA today calls on the Attorney-General to cease his absurd war of attrition with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Since announcing in 2014 that it intended to abolish the Office, the government has starved the agency of funds and has failed to reappoint two of the three statutory officer positions, despite the reality […]
EFA’s 2016 Wish List
While this has been a difficult year for the digital rights agenda in Australia, 2016 looks much more promising. With an election looming in which innovation and ‘tech-savviness’ are likely to be regular talking points, it provides one of the best opportunities for digital rights issues to really break into the mainstream. As we did last […]