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It is this Council’s view that the Courier Mail has raised important public issues as to the extent to which the OIA may be improperly exercising its powers where it is arguably contrary to the provisions of the OIA’s statute with the result that free speech incursions are occurring in relation to the ability of Local Councillors to exercise their public duty to engage in appropriate criticism of matters affecting Local Government in Queensland
Read MoreQCCL President Michael Cope said today, “The QCCL endorses the comments by Scott McDougall Queensland Human Rights Commissioner that the approach to border exemption applications has resulted in the rights of applicants for border exemptions not being properly considered.”
Read MoreI am writing to impress on you the need to commit to that review in the first hundred days of the next Labor government as a catalyst to reform Australia’s commitment to social justice.
Read MoreThis power to block parole for decades after a person has already served 20 or 30 years or more in prison will be exercised by the President of the Queensland Parole Board sitting in secret with the process totally lacking in transparency or accountability.
Read MoreHowever, there are real concerns as to whether this expansion of powers will infringe upon an individual’s right to personal privacy[6] and the privilege against self-incrimination.[7] The consequences of these infringements are exacerbated by the high likelihood that vulnerable and minority groups are disproportionately affected by these laws.[8]
Read MoreIn June this year a committee of the UK House of Commons identified significant ethical issues with Covid passports and found that the Government had failed to make out the scientific basis for immunity passports
Read MoreWe assume therefore that in making each of those directions, you have conducted an analysis which demonstrates that you have given proper consideration to all relevant human rights in preparing the directions.
Read MoreMr Murray also said that the foreshadowed integration “between QPRIME and Qld Health seems like a complete disaster waiting to happen”
Read Morethe press is and must be independent from government and has a presumptive, though not unconditional, right to seek out the news. Freedom of speech is rooted in a distrust of the government’s capacity to regulate speech, particularly political speech, where it is in a position of a conflict of interest. This conflict is no starker when it is seeking to restrain the use of embarrassing information obtained by journalists
Read MoreThe QCCL unreservedly condemns all forms of racial vilification and discrimination. However, in the Council’s view, it is another thing to make the expression of such views illegal.
Read MoreQCCL President Michael Cope said today. “The QCCL opposes the Government Bill extending the Covid emergency powers until 30 April 2022. The QCCL would support an extension of the powers until 31 December 2021, when the question of whether they should be further extended can be considered.”
Read MoreThe virus is not going to disappear any time soon. This means, we are eventually going to have to start finding ways to deal with it that are not draconian. The widespread availability of safe and effective vaccines makes it not only possible for us to cope with the virus in the way we cope with the flu, but dictates that the emergency measures which have been implemented to deal with it must also come to an end
Read MoreIn its submission to the Queensland Parliament’s Health and Environment Committee, on the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Bill, the QCCL welcomed this important initiative but argued for improvements”
Read MoreIn other words having regard to the unbearable pain and suffering of those with terminal or incurable illnesses a well-informed person could not reasonably reject VAD so long as it was only permitted in circumstances where all reasonable steps had been taken to protect the interests of the vulnerable.
Read MoreQCCL strongly opposes the use of information gathered for health purposes for law enforcement or any other additional purpose, the use of the Checkin App should not be made mandatory for access to more places until this legislation is passed” says Mr Cope.
Read MoreThis power to block parole for decades after a person has already served 20 30 years or more in prison will be exercised by the President of the Queensland Parole Board sitting in secret and behind closed doors with the process totally lacking in transparency or accountability.
Read MoreA law requiring people to register with the Council before they can exercise their right to express a political opinion on their own private property is fundamentally repugnant to the whole concept of freedom of speech” says Michael Cope President of the QCCL
Read MoreIf the concept of citizenship is to mean anything it must mean the right to return to and live in your place of citizenship
Read MoreFreedom of speech is rooted in a distrust of the government’s capacity to regulate speech particularly political speech, where it is always in a position of a conflict of interest. This conflict is no starker when it is seeking to restrain the use of embarrassing information obtained by journalists
Read Morethe first question that must be addressed is whether the technology is actually going to reduce harm caused by police chases. The chase must presumably have to start. There must still have to be a police policy dealing with the circumstances in which chases will be commenced, even if they are intended to be relatively short because this technology will be available.
Overseas discussions of this issue make reference to avoiding problems with other vehicles by implementing technology in all cars which enables each car to react to the presence of another vehicle.
This then brings us to serious other issues connected with this type of technology. Those issues relate to the fundamental rights of privacy and freedom of movement.
