Australian government rams through detention and citizenship-stripping laws
By Mike Head Scenes in the Australian parliament on Wednesday made a farce of any pretence of democracy. In fact, the real face of parliament was on display, spearheaded by a Labor government in imposing deeply reactionary laws. Intent on proving itself more draconian than the Liberal-National Coalition, the Labor government again
The barbarity of Australian government’s detainee shackling laws
By Mike Head. The Albanese Labor government is already facing three High Court challenges by refugees to the manacling legislation that it and the Liberal-National Coalition jointly rammed through both houses of parliament in just 12 hours on November 16. Further challenges are likely as well. In a blatant bid to evade
Right-wing Supreme Court majority on brink of gutting federal regulatory powers
By John Burton. At oral arguments Wednesday morning the right-wing majority of Supreme Court justices sympathized openly with an extremist position advocated by the attorney for a fascistic con artist that threatens longstanding federal powers to regulate the securities markets and other major business activities, including workplace safety, environmental protections and
Australian government demands parliament sits until it passes “preventative detention” law
By Mike Head. The Albanese Labor government issued an extraordinary ultimatum to the Australian parliament this week. It declared that both houses must keep sitting, beyond next week’s scheduled holiday shutdown, until they pass as yet unseen “preventative detention” legislation. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil declared, via Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio: “We
Chilling attack on free speech: NY court issues injunction against resolution opposing Gaza genocide
By Tom Hall A New York state court has issued a restraining order blocking a vote by members of the New York City public defenders’ union opposing Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The order was granted after their employers filed suit to prevent the resolution from being passed. The move is a major
Legal challenge to Australian government’s new laws to impose inhuman conditions on released refugees
By Mike Head. New legislation imposing police-state restrictions on 93 people released from indefinite immigration detention has been already challenged in the Australian High Court. This is less than a week after the Labor government combined with the Liberal-National Coalition opposition to ram the regressive laws through parliament in just 12
US appeals court guts Voting Rights Act
By Barry Grey On Monday [20], the US Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling that effectively turns the landmark Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 into a dead letter. In a 2 to 1 ruling, the appeals court, based in St. Louis and overseeing the mid-US states
Sri Lanka: UN Special Rapporteurs say proposed social and mass media regulation laws “possibly” limit freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and privacy
By Staff Writer In a communique to the President of Sri Lanka, three Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council have expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposed social media regulation law, the Online Safety Bill (OSB) and another media related law, Broadcasting Regulatory Commission Bill (BRC). The communication is
US Supreme Court papers over rampant corruption with first-ever “Code of Conduct”
By Kevin Reed On Monday [13], the Supreme Court of the United States published, for the first time in its history, a document concerning what it calls “ethics rules and principles that guide the conduct of the Members of the Court.” The code elaborates five fundamental principles called “canons” and is signed
UK Supreme Court upholds Sunak’s Rwanda Asylum Policy unlawful
By Staff Writer In a landmark ruling last Wednesday (15), a five judge bench of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom unanimously dismissed the Home Secretary's appeal to enforce Rwanda Asylum Policy, and upheld the Court of Appeal's decision that the policy is unlawful. The court concluded that there are