Liberty : A History of Civil Liberties in Australia

"Civil liberties are central to the freedoms that Australians value. They affirm the rights of all to protection from arbitrary authority and enable minorities to flourish; but they have also frequently been disputed. From arguments over censorship in the 1930s to present-day debates on mandatory sentancing, the concept of civil liberties - and its impact on our everyday lives - is a recurring motif of public life. Liberty is packed with new insights into the way civil liberties have been understook in Australia, tracing the formation of the Australian Council for Civil Liberties (ACCL), and tis state-based counterparts, and their involvement in the movement for law reform. From the Petrov Royal Commission on Espionage to David Hicks and Mohammad Haneef, the book offers a fresh analysis of the common law, human rights and parliamentary democracy, and relates how many cases of injustice were resolved."--Back cover. "Civil liberties are central to the freedoms that Australians value. They affirm the rights of all to protection from arbitrary authority and enable minorities to flourish; but they have also frequently been disputed. From arguments over censorship in the 1930s to present-day debates on mandatory sentencing, the concept of civil liberties-and its impact on our everyday lives--is a recurring motif of public life. Liberty is packed with new insights into the way civil liberties have been understood in Australia, tracing the formation of the Australian Council for Civil Liberties (ACCL), and its state-based counterparts, and their involvement in the movement for law reform. From the Petrov Royal Commission on Espionage to David Hicks and Mohammed Haneef, the book offers a fresh analysis of the common law, human rights and parliamentary democracy, and relates how many cases of injustice were resolved."--Publisher's website Annotation. A fascinating look at the history of civil liberties in Australia, this account offers a solid background to key civil liberties cases and a fresh analysis of the common law, human rights, and parliamentary democracy. From arguments over censorship in the 1930s to present-day debates on mandatory sentencing, the concept of civil liberties and its impact are discussed, tracing the formation of the Australian Council for Civil Liberties and its state-based counterparts as well as chronicling their involvement in the movement for law reform. Through major Australian historic events, this book demonstrates how the nation has been shaped by civil liberties Civil liberties are central to the freedoms that Australians value. They affirm the rights of all to protection from arbitrary authority and enable minorities to flourish; but they have also frequently been disputed. From arguments over censorship in the 1930s to present-day debates on mandatory sentencing, the concept of civil liberties - and its impact on our everyday lives - is a recurring motif of public life. Liberty is packed with new insights into the way civil liberties have been understood in Australia, tracing the formation of the Australian Council for Civil Liberties (ACCL), and it. Cover About the Authors Title Copyright Contents Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1: Between Depression and war Chapter 2: War under Menzies Chapter 3: Total war and reconstruction Chapter 4: Cold War Chapter 5: Revival and law reform Chapter 6: Rebuilding the Council Chapter 7: Human rights Guide to sources Notes Index