Decriminalising Victorian Sex Work: An Interview With Reason’s Fiona Patten
The state of NSW decriminalised sex work in 1995. The criminal sanctions relating to it were removed, in recognition that sex work is a legitimate form of work and should be treated as such. Since then, the entire nation of...
“A Sense of Entitlement”: Shoebridge on Pork Barrelling and Lack of Federal Oversight
In the days leading up to the 2019 NSW state election, deputy premier John Barilaro joked with AAP about his nickname being “Pork Barrel-aro”. The NSW Nationals leader further remarked that he’d like to be made state treasurer, as, if...
Refugees Left an Invidious Choice: Barrister Stephen Lawrence on Legal Indefinite Detention
According to Home Affairs, on 31 May this year, there were 112 people amongst the 1,486 individuals being held in our nation’s immigration detention facilities, who’ve been locked away for more than five years. These people are classed as “unlawful...
“A Steady Deterioration in Rights” in Australia: An Interview With HRMI’s Thalia Kehoe Rowden
When the United Nations General Assembly announced that Australia would be serving on the UN Human Rights Council over the 2018-20 term, questions were raised about the nation’s fitness to hold a seat, especially in relation to its treatment of...
No Support for Religious Privileging Laws: An Interview With the Rationalist Society’s Neil Francis
Newly minted attorney general Michaelia Cash has signalled she’s producing a new draft of the Religious Discrimination Bill (RD Bill), which is a piece of legislation that purports to protect those of faith, whilst actually providing them with the privilege...
No War With China: An Interview With Sydney Peace and Justice Coalition’s Peter Murphy
The pace at which war with China talk has been emerging from Canberra of late is alarming. Last year there were rumblings coming from PM Scott Morrison around sophisticated cyberattacks, but since Peter Dutton took on the role of defence...
A More Inclusive City of Sydney: An Interview With Greens Council Candidate Sylvie Ellsmore
Since the 2016 City of Sydney council elections, the political climate has changed dramatically, as multiple crises have swept through NSW, which have included the years-long drought, the 2019-20 bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. These crises have led to dramatic...
Disrupting Weapons Suppliers: An Interview With Make West Papua Safe’s Jason MacLeod
Professor Jason MacLeod and several other antiwar activists staged a peaceful demonstration on the doorstep of the Brisbane offices of transnational weapons manufacturer Thales on 31 May, to draw attention to the company supplying weapons that are used to kill...
Drop the Whistleblower Prosecutions: An Interview With AAPP’s Kathryn Kelly
Currently, the federal government is continuing the prosecutions against a number of its former distinguished representatives and affiliates for blowing the whistle on the corrupt practices of its officials and agents. Former ACT attorney general Bernard Collaery is one of...
Justice for Mr Riley: An Interview With Cassandra Riley and Dr Hannah McGlade
The coronial inquest into the death in custody of Mr Riley came to a close on 1 June. The 39-year-old Noongar man was tasered a total of 10 times in the carpark of East Perth Officeworks on the morning of...
