The QCCL condemns the latest bid in the law and order auction that is going on in this election, namely the announcement by the opposition that it will introduce a curfew for young people in Townsville.
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In broad terms, the use of surveillance devices without the consent of the person the subject of the surveillance will be prohibited.
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The coronavirus crisis has raised many complex and difficult issues for civil libertarians, none more so than in the case of the right to protest, particularly in the context of such an important issue as the massive over incarceration of Australia’s First Nations people
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The QCCL has written to the Commissioner of Police asking for comment in relation to reports that police are using ANPR (Automated Number Plate Recognition Technology) to charge people with breaching the Home Confinement Direction by travelling more than 50km from their home.
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The NSW, Queensland and South Australian Councils for Civil Liberties support the introduction of effective digital contact tracing if it has robust privacy and transparency legislation underpinning it. There are however outstanding issues the Government should address before this Bill is passed.
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The Federal Government’s draft Bill in relation to the COVIDSAFE app contains a number of welcome features including the very strong prohibitions on people requiring another person to download the app and the involvement of the Privacy Commissioner in reviewing the system. But it does not go far enough.
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The federal government’s announcements in relation to the Covidsafe App contain a number of good features. However, fundamental issues of concern remain.
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The QCCL today expressed its concern about the apparent decision by the government to ask Australians to use the Singaporean “Trace Together“ COVID-19 tracking app, which will not adequately protect the privacy of Australians.
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QCCL calls upon the Police Commissioner to at least twice weekly release details of the conduct that is resulting in people being charged or given a ticket for breaching the home confinement direction.
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The QCCL condemns the decision of the Queensland government yesterday to ram through its health crisis legislation and give itself the power to close down the Parliament.
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Civil Liberties Council Vice-President Terry O’Gorman said the Police Minister has apparently decided to join in the Queensland Opposition’s ‘attack the Judges’ strategy as opening shots are fired in the Queensland State Election due in October this year.
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The Council calls upon the government to withdraw its proposed campaign finance electoral law reforms and to revisit the rules relating to third parties, to ensure that they do not impose an unfair burden on many organisations that will deter them from expressing their views on important topics.
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The Council welcomes yesterday’s decision by the Chief Magistrate to reject the Brisbane City Council‘s application to prohibit the protest march in the city this morning.
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The Premier today released a statement in which she said there was evidence that protesters were arming themselves with booby traps, which could harm those who remove the protestors from a place of protest.
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QCCL President, Michael Cope says, “The QCCL welcomes the repeal of the 2016 medicinal cannabis legislation, which the Council believes has completely failed to deliver any useful outcomes to Queenslanders who could benefit from cannabis medicines.
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"Citizenship is person's basic right for it is nothing less than the right to have rights.”
“Citizenship is not a license that expires upon misbehaviour. Where does the principle underlying this legislation stop? Could a citizen be deprived of her nationality for evading tax or social security fraud?”
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“The algorithms which underlie this technology, have at their heart arbitrary concepts of what is normal. People are selected for attention by authorities on the basis of their supposedly abnormal behaviour or appearance.” Mr Cope said
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“CCTV is a cheap way for politicians to be seen to be doing something to reduce crime. But it creates a false sense of security for the public.”
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“I can say without knowing the details that a significant number of them despite having been punished according to law, have been sentenced again to a bleak existence without their loved ones, without income and in many cases because they can’t speak the language with no prospect of any meaningful existence in the communities to which they have been sent.”
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