Tell them ‘Hands-off!’ A good government protects and enables a strong and vibrant community. One where you can participate in public debate, where the issues you care about are brought to the forefront, and where you can hold the government to account. But, right now, your ability to raise your voice about the issues you care about is under threat. The federal government wants to change laws that will silence Australians and avoid accountability. The new laws will severely restrict advocacy and intimidate participation in public debate. These laws will tie charities up in red tape, rather than using crucial donations for the purpose they were given. They will also put at risk essential funding for alleviating poverty, life-saving medical research, support for Indigenous self-determination, and protecting our forests, rivers and wildlife. Act now and call on our political leaders to end of this attack on free speech and public participation.
New report: Read about how these Bills threaten to silence civil society. In Whose Interest? ;Silencing Charities in Australia’, A report from Hands Off Our Charities about how these Bills threaten our humanitarian, social justice, international aid, and conservation work.
More on the Bills / In the news
Labor and Greens back charities’ objections to foreign influence laws https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/15/labor-and-greens-back-charities-objections-to-foreign-influence-laws
Australia’s Government must guard against foreign interference, but not by curbing our rights, Elaine Pearson from Human Rughts Watch http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-14/australia-government-foreign-interference-espionage-human-rights
Trusting the government to protect civil liberties? That’s a sick joke, 5 organisations explain their major concerns regarding the new laws https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/13/trusting-the-government-to-protect-civil-liberties-thats-a-sick-joke Greenpeace talked with folks in Sydney about these attacks on democracy. Here’s what they said – https://www.facebook.com/greenpeaceaustraliapacific/videos/10156854054657971/