However, the unauthorised taking, distribution or publication of photos and film has been an issue (including in the law) since these media were invented. In the age of cameras phones and internet publication, this problem has become more prevalent and somewhat more permanent.

Joining us tonight on Done by Law is the Victorian Privacy Commissioner, Helen Versey, to discuss Australia’s privacy laws and how technology and the internet have prompted calls for changes in privacy law.

]]> http://www.donebylaw.org/2010/03/09/dbl-bingle-privacy-and-the-wild-west-of-the-internet-9-march-2010/feed/ 17:15 You would have to have been living under a rock not to have noticed the media frenzy and public debate surrounding the naked ... You would have to have been living under a rock not to have noticed the media frenzy and public debate surrounding the naked photo of Lara Bingle, allegedly taken without her consent by Brendan Fevola while she was in the shower. Bingle's manager Max Markson announced that Bingle would take legal action against Fevola for breach of privacy, defamation and misuse of her image. However, the unauthorised taking, distribution or publication of photos and film has been an issue (including in the law) since these media were invented. In the age of cameras phones and internet publication, this problem has become more prevalent and somewhat more permanent. Joining us tonight on Done by Law is the Victorian Privacy Commissioner, Helen Versey, to discuss Australia's privacy laws and how technology and the internet have prompted calls for changes in privacy law. podcasts contact@donebylaw.org no No http://www.donebylaw.org/2010/03/08/gunns-20-litigation-goes-to-trial/ http://www.donebylaw.org/2010/03/08/gunns-20-litigation-goes-to-trial/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:40:27 +0000 shane http://www.donebylaw.org/?p=194 On December 13, 2004, 20 environmental activists, organisations and concerned citizens were issued a 216 page writ by the Tasmanian logging company Gunns Ltd. The woodchipping giant is suing for a combined AU$6.9 million for actions it claims has damaged their business and reputation.

This unprecedented agressive attack on environmental activists is finally making it to trial.

Done by Law speaks to Lawyers for forest Solicitor Vanessa Bleyer and former Gunns 20 defendant Lou Morriss about the trial and some of its implications for the environment movement.

In 2006 - 2007, this number jumped to 4,236.

In 2007 - 2008, this number rose to 5081.

Over these years there was no increase in juvenile involvement in violent and property crimes.

The vast majority of these young people in custody were on remand (that is, they were not serving a sentence after been found guilty and convicted).  In fact, only a very small proportion of these young people (between 8-16%), went on to receive a custodial sentence

Tonight, DBL speaks to Katrina Wong, co-author of the report “Bail Me Out – NSW Young Offenders and Bail” about why so many young people are being detained in the State of NSW.

This comes at a time where the Victorian government is under intense international scrutiny regarding the spate of attacks on Indian students in Victoria. Only last week, Brumby was on the defensive once again after the Indian high commissioner Sujatha Singh accused his government of not doing enough to address attacks on Indian students.

As a result of mounting pressure regarding these attacks, the Victorian Government has also recently opened a new 24-hour support and welfare service for international students. This service is supposed to provide support and advice on a raft of issues for international students, including legal services.

Meanwhile, the Western Suburbs Legal Service are ahead of the game. Acknowledging the raft of issues facing international students, in particular given the high incidents of assault against Indian students out west, an International Student Legal Advice Clinic (ISLAC) was established by the Western Suburbs Legal Service, in collaboration with volunteers working with the international student community. This clinic began on the 1st July 2009 and deals with a raft of issues including housing and tenancy issues, student rights, police matters (including complaints), employment and discrimination/racism

We are joined tonight on Done by Law by Sanmati Verma, Coordinator of ISLAC to discuss the ongoing issues facing international students and whether the government response is adequate in addressing these issues.

The Roundtable aims to provide an opportunity for our many groups to share
information and explore opportunities for collaboration on tactics,
strategies and campaigns on police-related issues in Victoria.

You will be aware that, despite lobbying and campaigning, Victoria passed
new search, move on and public drunkenness powers passed into law in 2009.
You will also be aware that three deaths in police custody occurred in
December 2009 and that in each case, it is the police who are
investigating these deaths. You will also be aware that that Victoria
Police is failing to adequately train its members in safety first and
de-escalation principles and that police brutality against people
including women and children continues in this State. You will also be
aware of increasing incarceration rates of Indigenous and migrant youth
and the failure of the police (and government) to acknowledge the racist
attacks that are occuring against Indian, Sudanese and other people of
colour.

All of us are working on the collective tragedy of a State Government and
police force which is doing nothing to realistically to end racism, deaths
in police custody, stop police assaults on Indigenous, Migrant, homeless
and mentally ill people and where the evidence of the failure in police
accountability is available in numerous official reports.

In order in increase our individual and collective capacity to creatively
and effectively work and mobilise on these issues, Melbourne Copwatch
invites you to a community roundtable to explore opportunities for
collaboration and share information about the vital work we are all doing.

We ask that you send one or more of your members to the Community
roundtable which we propose will operate as Spokescouncil. We are grateful
to Anthony Kelly for agreeing to faciliate this event.

The Community Roundtable will be at Maysar 184-186 Gertrude St Fitzroy
between 6-8pm on Thursday 18 February 2010.

Please bring information about your organisation and information on the
campaigns you are working on to share with others.

To obtain further information, to RSVP or to join Melbourne Copwatch,
please contact Melbourne.Copwatch@gmail.com

Copwatch acknowledges the Wurundjeri, the traditional owners of this
country and is grateful to the Melbourne Aboriginal Youth, Sport and
Recreation Centre for donating the space for this event.

Here at Done by Law as part of 3CRs special Survival day broadcast we’re
trying something a bit new – we’re going to broadcast a reading of Maria
Giannacopoulos’ 2006 essay - Terror Australis: White Sovereignty and the
Violence of Law as published in the Borderlands e-journal.

The central contention of this essay, is that Australian law is a regime
born of, and sustained through racial violence. The paper rejects the
notion that there is an absolute separation between the workings of
Australian law and the workings of white sovereignty. Maria uses the
federal anti-terrorism laws, and the Tampa ruling, to bring together two
distinct instances of Australian law in order to show the inextricability
of law and racial violence.

you can find the original Giannacopoulos essay at the borderlands e-journal:

Andal Ampatuan, Jr and a number of others have been arrested for the massacre.  His father and several other clan members have been charged with rebellion. On 5 January 2010, Andal Ampatuan, Jr pleaded not guilty. The Ampatuan clan are known for being loyal supporters of President Gloria Arroyo. Since the election of President Gloria Arroyo in 2001, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other human rights organisations have reported on the rise of serious human rights abuses in the Philippines. President Arroyo is charged with having created a culture of impunity for those committing politically motivated violence – which includes hundreds of extra-judicial killings and thousands of individual documented human rights violations.

Tonight we are joined by Neri Colmenares, Secretary General of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers – who lost colleagues in the massacre.  He will be discussing political violence and the law in the Philippines -  including an interesting proposition as to how Australian lawyers can actively help human rights in the Philippines.

These new laws will enable Police to conduct arbitrary searches of any person including children in designated zones.

Worryingly, this is the first piece of legislation to be introduced to Victoria’s Parliament with an acknowledgement that it is incompatible with the State Government’s new Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.

This week we speak to three Indigenous leaders from Collingwood about what impact they think the laws will have, and how they intend to fight these provisions (see our news section for the details).

We also speak to Fitzroy Legal Service advocate Meghan Fitzgerald about new laws being introduced to give police the power to move people on.