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Injunction against the Government’s Malaysian ‘Arrangement’
By Adam Fletcher Yesterday (8 August 2011), a single judge of the High Court (Justice Hayne) granted interlocutory relief (an injunction) in the case of Shah & Ors v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship & Anor. This interim measure prevents the Commonwealth Government from removing the first group of 16 asylum seekers from Christmas Island…
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Trial by media takes on a whole new meaning in Victoria
By Adam Fletcher What is the point of a criminal justice system? This may seem to be a rhetorical question, but Australians are clearly divided over the answer. On 27 July this year, Victorian Attorney-General Robert Clark announced a survey in which “all Victorians are invited to have their say on sentencing.” The Attorney-General says…
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Vaccinating kids, spying on Bin Laden: just another misuse of humanitarian aid
By Marius Smith It has recently emerged that the CIA set up a vaccination campaign in Pakistan as part of a covert operation to monitor Osama Bin Laden’s compound there and obtain a DNA sample from one of his relatives. Although plenty of people would argue that the end justifies the means, jeopardising the health…
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Sky should now withdraw its Australia Network tender
By Tania Penovic Much has been written about the News Corp fiasco. Beyond the shock and titillation offered by the story lie serious ramifications for Australia’s media. The influence of News Corp is far reaching. The operation of one of its British tabloid newspapers has revealed the extent to which pursuit of commercial imperatives can…
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Mr Rudd is wrong on arbitrary detention
Sarah Joseph In an interview with The Australia Network’s Jim Middleton on Newsline, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd responded to an assertion by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay: she had stated on ABC’s 7:30 that mandatory immigration detention in Australia is arbitrary and in breach of Article 9(1) of the International Covenant…
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It’s Time we Got Rid of an Institution that is for Heterosexuals only
By Paula Gerber We no longer stand for ‘white’s only’ institutions, but inAustraliawe still tolerate an institution that is reserved for only heterosexuals, namely the institution of marriage. There is a global trend towards open up the institution of marriage to all couples who wish to wed, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. Same-sex…
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law 