News & Views

Are you a Human Rights Defender? The Statement from the United Nations Special Rapporteur is Worth a Read

November 3, 2016 8 minute read

United Nations special rapporteur Michel Forst, who members of Melbourne Activist Legal Support met with in early October, has released his report on the situation of human rights defenders in Australia.*

It was a powerful and important statement and has largely backed up what Australian activist, legal and human rights organisations have been saying for many years – that the Australian Government is dangerously impeding and repressing those of us in Australia trying to defend and stand up for our basic civil and political rights.

Policing the Black Lives Matter Rally, Melbourne, 17th July 2016

July 18, 2016 10 minute read

The police presence at the Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally on Sunday 17 July, 2016 was notable for its sheer size and scale.* Everyone at the event would have noticed the long lines of police arrayed around the initial rally gathering point at the State Library forecourt and the various PORT – Public Order Response Team…

Wired for Sound: Australian Police Purchases of LRADs

June 9, 2016 6 minute read

LRADs came to light in Australia leading into Brisbane’s G20 meeting (2014), when QLD police (QPS) invited protest groups to view the hardware to be used ‘to ensure protesters followed the routes set down for them’

Statement of Concern: Treatment of Legal Observer, 18th July 2015

July 22, 2015 2 minute read

On Saturday, 18th of July, 2015, at approximately 12:43PM on the corner of little Bourke and Spring streets, in Melbourne, Australia a MALS Legal Observer had their mobile phone snatched out of their hands by a Victorian Police member from the Operations Response Unit (ORU) during counter-protests to the Reclaim Australia rally. The Legal Observer…

Statement of Concern: Reclaim Australia and Counter Rallies, 18th July 2015

July 18, 2015 3 minute read

On Saturday the 18th of July 2015 Melbourne Activist Legal Support (MALS) fielded a team of eight (8) trained Legal Observers at the Reclaim Australia and counter rallies that took place near the intersection of Spring and Bourke Streets in Melbourne’s Central Business District. Legal Observers monitored the actions of Victoria Police and recorded evidence…

New Resource: Legal Handbook for the Coal and Gas Movement

May 19, 2015 less than 1 minute read

A new resource for climate activists was launched in May 2015 by Melbourne Activist Legal Support (MALS) member, Nicola Paris, who runs CounterAct. The launch was attended by environmentalists, farmers and people involved in the progressive legal community, as well as members of MALS. CounterAct collaborated with Environmental Justice Australia and the document was intended…

Occupy Policing: The Eviction of Occupy Melbourne

December 1, 2014 7 minute read

By Julia Dehm and Sara DehmFirst published in Critical Legal Thinking, 8 November 2012. Inspired by the global call for action by the Indignados movement in Spain, the protests and revolutions across the Arab World and the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City, activists organised to launch Occupy Melbourne in City Square on…

ASIOland: Changes to Australia’s National Security Legislation

October 1, 2014 8 minute read

By Elizabeth O’SheaOriginally published in Overland Magazine. There has been plenty of hype over the recent changes to Australia’s national security legislation, and rightly so. But it is worth spending a moment to work out what actually is already on the books, what is new, and what’s coming. Prior to the recent amendments, the biggest…

Know Your Rights: Victoria’s new ‘Move-on’ Laws

September 1, 2014 4 minute read

Police have always had powers to deal with protesters and picketers in different situations. Earlier this year, the Victorian Government gave police officers and Protective Services Officers (’PSOs’) some new powers for protest situations by expanding existing ‘move on’ powers. You may have heard this referred to as the ’Anti-Protest Laws’ or the ’Summary Offences Bill’. Whilst the new move on powers are undemocratic and can affect protesters and picketers, protesting in Victoria is not illegal.