Done By Law

Copyright and creative commons 24 Feb 2009

Want to know the difference between copyright, copyleft and Creative Commons? Tonight on Done By Law we take a look at the law of copyright and how artists and activists around the world are challenging ideas of cultural ownership. We start with the experience of Negativland, a US based band who sampled U2’s ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ in the early 1990’s and were subsequently nearly sued out of existence. We then fast forward 10 years to 2001and explore Creative Commons, a non-profit organisation that allows people to select their own licences for their material. We chat to Elliott Bledsoe from Creative Commons Australia to get an idea of what this licencing system is all about. To view the interview with Mark Hosler from Negativland and its associated Creative Commons licence, go here.

DBL: Racism Project 17 February 2009

Tonight on Done By Law we interview Shane Reside who, in conjunction with Bec Smith are the project workers for the new ‘Racism Project’; a project auspiced jointly by Western Suburbs, Fitzroy and Springvale Monash Community Legal Services.

The project is designed to conduct research into racism across Melbourne, and collaboratively develop strategies to address issues arising from that research.

Shane will discuss the possible ways that this project will evolve over a period of one year.

We also discuss news in brief with a focus on the social justice issues that have arisen.

DBL: Desalination plant: 10 February 2009

The drought means the land is dry and Victorians are told water is short.  The Government is building a desalination plant on the Bass Coast which the politicians say is necessary and will provide an essential source of water. But views differ as to whether a desalination plant is the best solution, or even a good solution, to the “water crisis”.

Tonight we are joined by Andrea Bolch of community activist group Watershed and Elizabeth McKinnon of the Environment Defenders Office (lawyers for Watershed), who will outline some of the keys issues with the desalination plant, and how Watershed (with the help of the Environment Defenders Office) has challenged both the building and the legitimacy of desalination plant.

Centrelink recognises same sex couples (not in a good way)

Tonight on Done by Law we examined changes to social security law relating to payments to same sex couples.  Critics have flagged problems with the implementation of the new laws, arguing that they disadvantage older same sex couples who may have experienced considerable discrimination. We examine the financial impact as a result of the new laws and they way in which reporting deadlines may be softened.  We unpack a move towards equality that may not be all it seems.