Privacy — News — Queensland Council for Civil Liberties

Crime And Corruption (Restoring Reporting Powers) Amendment Bill

It is submitted that in relation to the Commission making a public statement both in relation to the corruption assessment stage and at the conclusion of the Commission’s investigations, the Bill should be amended to make it clear that the provision contained within Section 65A(4)(g) namely “whether the statement may unreasonably damage the person’s health, safety or wellbeing or privacy or reputation” should be given significant weight by the Commission in deciding whether to issue a public statement.

Commonwealth Campaign Finance Reform

“Restrictions on political expenditure are plainly restrictions on freedom of speech. However, restrictions on electoral expenditure are akin to the rules of debate in a meeting which restrict the length of speeches and provide for rights of reply. This feature of expenditure caps makes them more acceptable than donation bans or caps.”

QCCL opposes laws to ban children under 16 from social media

“There have been panics about the effect of technology on children since antiquity, extending to recent examples such as radio, television and comic books. We should not be taking such extreme action in response to this one”

Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024

Notwithstanding our submission that doxing offences in the form contained in the Bill should not be introduced, we submit that; if it were to be introduced, doxxing should be an offence only to the extent it can be equated to harassment or stalking as the unacceptable behavior and consequences are similar.

Cowardice by Attorney General Dreyfus

QCCL President Michael Cope, today said that the Council condemns the failure of the Federal Government to implement the key recommendations of the review of the Privacy Act. “The Privacy Act was passed in 1988 and has not been substantially amended since then. In privacy terms 1988 is the stone age” said Mr Cope

Media releaseQueensland Council for Civil Liberties12 September 2024Privacy, Federal Government

Digital ID Rules, Digital ID Accreditation Rules and Accreditation Data Standards

The implementation of a digital identity scheme in Australia is a significant step and it is imperative that this is approached in a way that is measured, transparent, comprehensively safeguarded and that the Australian community is fully informed as to all potential consequences of this path

QCCL supports Right to Disconnect

“In the nineteenth century the eight-hour day campaign led to laws that protected the rights of workers to leisure and private time. If steps are not taken modern technology will slowly but surely eviscerate those hard-won rights. This is why we need an effective right to disconnect” says Michael Cope

2023 DIGITAL ID ACCREDITATION

The implementation of a digital identity scheme in Australia is a significant step and it is imperative that this is approached in a way that is measured, transparent, comprehensively safeguarded and that the Australian community is fully informed as to all potential consequences of this path;

Response to Safe and Responsible AI In Australia Discussion Paper

In our view, Australia should require any development or application of artificial intelligence to an authorisation and licensing process that primarily focuses on the human rights implication(s) and we submit that this approach ought to be consistently applied to State use of these computational processes as well as any private development or application

Nudist Beaches

The Council accepts that the public exhibition of sexual activities should be banned. However, we also take the view that nude beaches should be permitted so long as they are in secluded areas and are known and clearly marked as nude beaches. If necessary, the State Government or relevant local councils should take steps to designate nude beaches and to mark and publicize them appropriately.

IAPP Panel Discussion - AI – designing for privacy and trust

It is this nightmare we have come to discuss today in the form of the use of ‘AI’ to make decisions that could impact a person’s access to benefits or services, or could be used to make a judgement about whether or not they are law abiding

Response to the Privacy Act Review Report

We commend the Report as it addresses our submission and, in our view, is a significant and positive step towards the proper recognition and protection of Australians’ right to privacy.

Police Powers and Responsibilities (Jack's Law) Amendment Bill 2022

Astonishingly, when the government announced these laws, it relied upon a review of the trial of this system as justifying their introduction. As this submission will demonstrate, to the contrary, that report justified the criticisms which have been made of this type of law.

SubmissionQueensland Council for Civil Liberties13 January 2023Police, police powers, Privacy, Human Rights

Child Protection (Offender Reporting and Offender Prohibition Order) Bill 2022

We start from the premise that prisoners including those on probation, parole or other post detention supervised release, do not have the same privacy rights as ordinary citizens, but they are not stripped of their entire right to privacy

Annual Report 2022 Angus Murray Vice President

Annual ReportQueensland Council for Civil Liberties30 October 2022Privacy, Public Integrity, Crime and Misconduct Commission, criminal law, Free speech, Covid19

President's Report 2022

Annual ReportQueensland Council for Civil Liberties30 October 2022Human Rights, Freedom of religion, Freedom of Information, Free speech, Elections, Privacy, Surveillance, Criminal Justice, Covid19, Anti-Discrimination

Public Health and Other Legislation (Extension of Expiring Provisions) Amendment Bill 2022

The Council has repeatedly called on the government to publicly identify the criteria which it will use to decide that the state of emergency is no longer required. We note it has again failed to do so.

We have maintained throughout this crisis the emergency powers are justified so long as they are necessary, proportionate and are in place for the absolute minimum period. It cannot be said at this time that the case has been made for the continuation of these emergency powers.

SubmissionQueensland Council for Civil Liberties4 March 2022Human Rights, Privacy, Covid19

SURVEILLANCE LAW REFORM

We recognise the importance of ensuring security of Australians’ and their freedoms. The rationale for national security law comes from the importance of ensuring that freedoms are protected. We are concerned to ensure that the ‘forest isn’t lost for the trees’ in this reform process and that the guiding and predominant principle in this reform is that our national security framework serves to protect the freedoms that ought to be enjoyed by all Australians.

Media releaseQueensland Council for Civil Liberties8 February 2022Privacy, Surveillance

Australia’s Electronic Surveillance Framework Discussion Paper

National security and surveillance powers in Australia ought to follow the introduction of a Federal and enforceable human rights framework, recommended by a succession of law reform commissions and bringing Australia into line with other democratic nations. The protection of Australians’ human rights and associated freedoms is the rationale for the existence of national security legislation and therefore must be the paramount consideration for the use of intrusive powers. Adopting the text and spirit of the guiding principles for reform contained within the Discussion Paper, we consider that it would be appropriate to have the objects of a simplified Electronic Surveillance Act coupled with clear requirements for the use of national security and surveillance powers expressly reflecting Australia’s obligations pursuant to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This would instill public confidence by requiring law enforcement agencies (and Court’s issuing warrants) to have an express object of human rights compliance together with a decision making criteria that directly requires contemplation of human rights implications

Provision of Managed Services for the Identity Matching Services

The legislation that would enable a regime of identity matching exists only in the form of the Identity-matching Services Bill 2019 and the Australian Passports Amendment (Identity-matching Services) Bill 2019 (collectively, “the Bill”) has to our knowledge not been passed.

LettersQueensland Council for Civil Liberties1 February 2022Privacy, Surveillance

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