Scapegoating the “Bolt laws”: What media and politics missed
With the Coalition set to change racial discrimination laws, John Alizzi explains why the whole debate misses the mark.
Law and Policy – Page 34
Fighting for justice and dignity: Interview with Behrouz Boochani
Right Now speaks to writer Behrouz Boochani about his call for a Royal Commission into Immigration Detention.
Queensland Political Culture: Executive Dominance Trumps Civil Liberties
Queensland has over recent weeks passed a number of laws declaring guilt by association for those who are members of or associate with “criminal” bikie gangs. Kate Galloway looks at the culture of executive domination in politics in Queensland.
Human Rights in the Media & FLYBZ – Mid-Week Review
Pia White looks at media coverage of human rights during October through the monthly theme of ‘institutions’, and Sam Ryan reviews ‘Child Soldier’, the new song from hip-hop duo (and refugees from Burundi) featuring Paul Kelly.
Asylum Seekers Around the World – turning back the political tides
Kellie Tranter suggests WikiLeaks cables help to explain the rising global political tide against “illegal” asylum seekers.
Shedding Light on Closed Institutions: Why OPCAT is needed now more than ever
Rebecca Minty and Amy Rogers examine the implications of the Optional Protocal to the UN Conventional Against Torture OPCAT and call for Australia to ratify the treaty.
EDITORIAL – Institutions
This month Right Now will consider the responsibility of Australian institutions to uphold and respect human rights principles.
Smoking in Prisons: Whose Rights?
Banning smoking in prison seems to make sense – prison is punishment and smoking is unhealthy. Bronwyn Naylor exposes the flaws in this approach, and potential violation of prisoners’ rights.
Panic – Mid-Week Review
In Panic, David Marr chronicles the use of fear in recent years by Australian politicians and the media, and paints a grim picture of more to come, writes Sonia Nair.
Women in the Institutions of the Law
How are women represented in institutions of the law? Kate Galloway finds out.
Tempering Tribalism
Ben Wadham on the need to govern military fraternity.
Anguish of the unknown – Detention as Torture
Is detention punishment? Is detention torture? Steph Murphy asks these questions and more in this article on the relationship between torture, violence, politics and detention.
Balan’s story
Tom Greenwood has directed a short film about the story of Balan, a Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seeker living in western Sydney.