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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…
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The killing of Osama bin Laden: his right to life and the new torture debate
Sarah Joseph Osama Bin Laden’s killing at the hands of US Navy SEALS on 1 May gives rise to some interesting international law issues. Here, I address some of those issues from a human rights perspective, concerning freedom from torture (regarding the intelligence used to find Bin Laden) and the right to life (regarding his…
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Humanitarian Intervention in Libya
by Sarah Joseph This morning, Melbourne time, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1973/2011, which authorises the taking of “all necessary measures” including a no fly zone but short of occupation, to protect civilians and “civilian populated areas” from Colonel Gaddafi’s government. The UN has essentially authorised “humanitarian intervention” against Gaddafi’s regime. “Humanitarian intervention” refers…
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law 