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Keywords: Legislation

There are more than 200 results, only the first 200 are displayed here.

  • AUSTRALIA

    The High Court and the detention of asylum seekers

    • Frank Brennan
    • 04 December 2023
    8 Comments

    Last month, the High Court overturned a controversial 2004 decision, reaffirming the principle that asylum seekers cannot be detained indefinitely without prospects of deportation. This ruling not only corrects a historical misstep but also reasserts the High Court's commitment to limiting executive overreach.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    When law making bastardises the Law

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 30 November 2023
    8 Comments

    Any legislation hastily designed to negate the effect of the High Court decisions will be vulnerable again to be struck down on judicial appeal. That haste suggests an initial disregard for human rights and the rule of law by Governments and an ingrained resistance to any limitation of its power. Vindictive laws come at a heavy cost to the integrity and reputation of the lawmakers. 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Can we curb misinformation while retaining freedom of expression?

    • Frank Brennan
    • 09 November 2023
    4 Comments

    As the government drafts legislation to stem the rising tide of misinformation circulating online, the nation debates: will these measures sufficiently regulate online content and curb potential harms or threaten freedom of expression? This moment is a critical test for the integrity of Australia's public discourse.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Truth or dare: Australia's misinformation challenge

    • Julian Butler
    • 02 November 2023
    1 Comment

    The proposed Misinformation Bill straddles the delicate balance between freedom of speech and the rising threat of misinformation, posing a challenge that could redefine the landscape of media and public conversation. The problem goes beyond discerning the truth, but determining how a democratic society identifies it amid a sea of conflicting voices.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Will they gain a Voice? I sincerely hope so

    • Barry Gittins
    • 28 September 2023
    3 Comments

    The voices of Australia's First Nations communities are asking to be heard. With the upcoming referendum, the nation faces a decision both about equity and identity. How might genuine hope and understanding impact Australia's path forward and address longstanding disparities?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Hardened criminals and hardened hearts

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 21 September 2023

    In a better world, people who seek protection in Australia and people removed from prison would not be detained in the same detention centres. But the grounds for differential treatment are not based on the difference between guilty and innocent people; between asylum seekers and 'hardened criminals'. Both groups are worthy of respect and compassion. 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    HAFFing and puffing

    • Peter Mares
    • 21 September 2023
    2 Comments

    Will the Housing Australia Future Fund make a dent on Australia’s housing crisis? After a political tug-of-war, the government's ambitious $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) has passed parliament, promising tens of thousands of new homes. But with over 170,000 households on social housing waiting lists and a skyrocketing rental market, the question remains: is the HAFF enough?

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Changing the housing story

    • John Falzon
    • 21 September 2023
    3 Comments

    In the face of Australia's pressing housing crisis, is the solution merely a question of funds, or does it demand a deeper overhaul? Many are calling for a transformed government role, one that abandons the shackles of neoliberalism, prioritises social infrastructure, and champions the collective good over select interests.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Deakin and the parting of names

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 14 September 2023
    4 Comments

    As the legacy of historical figures is reevaluated, Alfred Deakin, Australia's second Prime Minister, finds himself under recent scrutiny. A champion of Federation, Deakin also held views towards Indigenous Australians now regarded as abhorrent. But is erasing his name from a university the right step? 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    Kicking own goals in Queensland

    • Andrew Hamilton
    • 07 September 2023
    4 Comments

    On the face of it, the decision of the Queensland Government to pass an amendment to permit holding children in police cells was a desperate and discrediting action. Underneath it, however, was a complex coming together of events, prejudices and attitudes.

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  • AUSTRALIA

    A cogent argument for voting Yes

    • John Honner
    • 24 August 2023
    13 Comments

    You might think that, if anyone could pull off the establishment of a treaty, a great poet and a great policy maker, working in harmony, would surely have the best chance. But this was not the case: when Judith Wright and H.C. Coombes advocated for a treaty throughout their lifetimes, they were unsuccessful. 

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  • AUSTRALIA

    The great AI misdirection

    • David James
    • 17 August 2023
    8 Comments

    In a world where words wield power, 'Artificial Intelligence' is a semantic contradiction. As tech leaders sound alarms about AI's potential threats, the reality remains: AI scans data but can't replicate human thought or emotion. Are we, through misleading language, surrendering our humanity to machines?

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