Policy Online (23.2.16) carries a link to a Human Rights Law Centre report which urges Australia’s political parties to halt the erosion of our nation’s democracy and civil liberties.
‘Australia’s political parties must stop eroding many of the vital foundations of Australia’s democracy, the Human Rights Law Centre said in a new report launched in Canberra yesterday. Civil society leaders joined the launch to highlight the critical role that civil society plays in a healthy and robust democracy.
‘“Open government, a free press, a strong and diverse civil society and the rule of law are some of the vital foundations of our democracy. Yet we are witnessing an unmistakeable trend in Australia of governments eroding these foundations with new laws and practices that entrench secrecy and stifle criticism and accountability,” said Hugh de Kretser, Executive Director of the Human Rights Law Centre.’