Forwarded from Christine Howes: NB: An updated briefing on Olympic related public order laws in NSW and Queensland will be prepared by PIAC in May. These issues will be discussed at a seminar by the Institute of Criminology �Protest, Policing and the Olympics�, on 13 June at 5.00pm. Contact the Institute on 9351 0239 for further information about the seminar. 26 April 2000 from the NSW Public Interest Advocacy Centre's e-bulletin. Cheers....C Olympics liberty A range of organisations have sought advice on Olympics related public order laws applying at Homebush Bay and the Sydney Harbour Foreshore since PIAC released its briefing paper on Olympic liberty issues in February. A new law introduced this month, the Olympic Arrangements Bill, not only provides for draconian public order powers to be extended to Olympic venues and "Live Sites" in the CBD and city fringe, but may prevent them being reported by news media. PIAC has described the laws as providing no basis for facilitating peaceful protests during the Games. It has called on the NSW Government to make a commitment to allowing peaceful protest by Aboriginal organisations and others and to put in place practical measures to achieve this. An updated briefing on Olympic related public order laws in NSW and Queensland will be prepared by PIAC in May. These issues will be discussed at a seminar by the Institute of Criminology �Protest, Policing and the Olympics�, on 13 June at 5.00pm. Contact the Institute on 9351 0239 for further information about the seminar. Reparations Tribunal for the Stolen Generation PIAC has made a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee Inquiry into the Stolen Generation. In the submission, PIAC proposes the establishment of a Stolen Generations Reparations Tribunal to provide compensation and other forms of reparations to members of the Stolen Generation and those affected by forcible removal. The submission examines the rationale for providing reparations to the Stolen Generations, including the need to address breaches of international human rights, breaches of common law rights and moral responsibility and the promotion of social justice and self determination. It examines the disadvantages of litigation in responding to the history and effects of forcible removal, and concludes that a statutory scheme is the most appropriate mechanism for providing adequate reparations to those forcibly removed, their families, communities and descendants. The submission proposes tests for liability and forms of reparations that could be ordered and recommended by the Tribunal. The submission is available from PIAC. PIAC Submission on NSW Bill of Rights PIAC has prepared a submission for the Inquiry by the Standing Committee on Law and Justice of the NSW Legislative Council into a Statutory Bill of Rights for NSW. The submission argues that a statutory Bill of Rights should be based on the United Nations Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Australia has ratified these Covenants, but many of the rights contained in them are not protected by the Constitution or by common law. The pressures of global economic competition, growing inequality of wealth and income, and inequality in access to justice make protection of these rights more urgent in the 21st Century. Australia is one of the few countries which does not have a constitutional or statutory Bill of Rights. There is currently no Federal government support for a referendum for constitutional change for a Bill of Rights. Legislation at the state level for a Bill of Rights could address the immediate need of the people of NSW, and would educate both legislators and the general community about the need to respect human rights. The legislation could also provide a model for other states and for future Federal change in the same way as state anti-discrimination legislation paved the way for legislation at the Federal level. The legislation should provide for the enforcement of rights through the Supreme Court. The submission is available from PIAC. Articles from the PIAC e-bulletin may be reproduced as long as the source is acknowledged. -- _________________________________ Truth is a pathless land. --- Krishnamurti ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." 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