Building resilience to repression

* ASIO, the Police and You is an online handbook of special relevance to the Muslim community published by The Australian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network. <www.amcran.org>
* Be Informed: ASIO and Anti-Terrorism Laws. The University of Technology Sydney Community Law Centre has produced this detailed information kit. <www.law.uts.edu.au/clc/publications/index.html>
* Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders, published by Front Line – The International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, with detailed security advice and information. <www.protectionline.org/article.php?id_article=186>
* Public Eye covers the history and theory of political repression. <www.publiceye.org/liberty>
* Organising in the face of increased repression by US activist Starhawk. <www.starhawk.org/activism/activism-writings/organizing.html>
* Activist Rights a comprehensive guide to organising activist legal support around Australia published by Fitzroy Legal Service. <www.activistrights.org.au>
* Resisting repression: resources for defending Australian freedoms, compiled by Brian Martin. <www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent/documents/rr>
* NGO in a Box – Security Edition Project – an excellent collection of software tools and manuals for better privacy and security on your computers and on the Internet. (http://security.ngoinabox.org)

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Defending Our Rights: Resources and Organisations in Australia

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Public Interest Advocacy Centre

PIAC is an independent, non-profit law and policy centre based in Sydney, but working on issues at all levels of government. PIAC makes strategic interventions in public interest matters to foster a fair, just and democratic society and to empower citizens, consumers and communities. PIAC is involved in a range of human rights related activities, including acting as the secretariat for the NSW Charter Group. It provides public and tailored training on effective advocacy strategies to encourage more community engagement in public interest issues.

Focus: Impact on human rights and increased levels of discrimination and community disharmony in respect of Muslim communities.

Primary activities: Campaigning, research, and advocacy.

Getting involved: Updates on PIAC's work and how people can get involved – such as events and letter-writing – are available in its e-bulletin (subscribe through the PIAC website) and its six-monthly Bulletin. Contact PIAC to request a free subscription.
 
Web <www.piac.asn.au>
Email <piac@piac.asn.au>

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Human Rights Law Resource Centre

In relation to Australia's counter-terrorism laws, policy and practice, the HRLRC has been involved in:
* a request for urgent action from the United Nations in relation to the conditions of detention of the unconvicted remand prisoners known as the Barwon 13.
* an application for leave to appear in the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal in the case of Joseph Thomas (a.k.a. 'Jihad Jack') v The Queen; and
* submitting a 'Shadow Report' to the UN Committee Against Torture, which includes concerns in relation to Australia's counter-terrorism laws.

Web <www.hrlrc.org.au>
Email <hrlrc@vicbar.com.au>

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Uniting Justice Australia

Uniting Justice resources the National Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia in its mission of social and ecological justice and peace. Some of the current areas of work at are human rights (asylum seekers, anti-terrorism laws), climate change, and engagement with democratic processes.

Primary activities: Resourcing Uniting Church National Assembly responses to issues of social and ecological justice and peace, through policy formulation, public advocacy, education and awareness raising.
Getting involved: Join the justice news email list for updates, including the resources produced – go to <http://assembly.uca.org.au/unitingjustice/subscribe.htm>.

Web <http://nat.uca.org.au/unitingjustice>
Email <unitingjustice@nat.uca.org.au>
Phone (02) 8267 4236

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New Matilda Human Rights Act for Australia campaign

This is a non-partisan campaign to develop a broad coalition of community organisations including state-based human rights campaigns, legal/civil rights organisations and groups representing interests of those segments likely to gain from added legislative human rights protection.

Focus: The primary objective is to have a Human Rights Act enacted in Australian law.

Primary activities: Developing community support for planned systematic lobbying of federal parties/parliamentarians after the election.

Getting involved: This is largely an internet-based campaign, supplemented by phone and email contact. Presently engaged in recruiting supporters and ultimately in the direct lobbying of federal parliamentarians with the intermediate aim of securing a Senate inquiry into the need for human rights legislation in Australia. Of particular interest are volunteers with communication skills, who are able to assist in lobbying, but also to provide research assistance and development of web-site content.
 
Peter Frank – National Coordinator
Web <www.humanrightsact.com.au>
Email <humanrightsact@newmatilda.com>
 
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Amnesty International Australia

Focus: Human rights

Primary activities: Awareness raising, research, campaigning, mobilising people.

Getting involved: Group meetings, letter-writing, public lectures, community forums, rallies.

Web: <www.amnesty.org.au>
Email: <qldaia@amnesty.org.au> (Qld/Northern NSW); <wahrsecurity@amnesty.org.au> (WA); <nswhrsteam@amnesty.org.au> (NSW); <ai.viccampaigns@gmail.com> (Vic); <guantanamobayteam@amnesty.org.au> (ACT/Southern NSW).

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Australian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network
 
Focus: Civil liberties, anti-terror laws, discrimination, and the impact on Muslim communities.
 
Primary activities: Community education, lobbying, advocacy, submissions to parliamentary committees, raising awareness in the community, some research.
 
Getting involved: Seminars, community events, campaigns. There is a mailing list and people are encouraged to join to keep updated about activities.
 
Web: <http://amcran.org>
Email: <amcran@amcran.org>

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Liberty Victoria

Primary concerns: Liberty Victoria (the Victorian Council for Civil Liberties) is one of Australia's leading human rights and civil liberties organisations.

Activities: A recent successful campaign was for a Human Rights Charter, litigated on behalf of asylum seekers of the Tampa in relation to international law obligations. Opposed the unnecessary infringement of civil liberties through the anti-terrorist legislation, the new ID Card, and sedition laws. Primary activities involve making submissions to government, campaigning, engaging in public debates, and supporting court cases defending civil liberties.

How to get involved: The best way to get involved with Liberty's campaigns is to join them. Liberty is a membership organisation, and relies on the support of thousands of individuals.

Web: <www.libertyvictoria.org.au>
Email: <info@libertyvictoria.org.au>
Phone: (03) 9670 6422
Post: GPO Box 3161, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001.

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Federation of Community Legal Centres (Vic) Inc.

Focus: Discriminatory impacts of counter-terrorism legislation and policing upon particular ethnic and religious communities. The curtailment of civil liberties and democratic rights by anti-terrorism legislation.

Primary activities: Community legal education, advocacy, policy development and positive law reform, research and info distribution.

Getting involved: Anti Terrorism Laws Working Group, public seminars, community events, sector resourcing and support, public campaigns, online e-news.

Web: <http://communitylaw.org.au>
Email: <administration@fclc.org.au>

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Civil Rights Defence

Focus: Civil Rights Defence is a group concerned about the Australian government's efforts to destroy some of our most basic civil and human rights under the pretext of the "war on terror". CRD campaigns to challenge and repeal the extreme anti-terrorism laws, and to raise awareness of the threat they pose.

Primary activities: Regular protests, public forums, speakers, legal briefings.

Getting involved: Fortnightly organising meetings on Tuesdays at 6:30 at the New International Bookshop, Trades Hall, Melbourne.

Web: <www.civilrightsdefence.org>
Phone: Gerard 0407 856 628.

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Australian Tamil Rights Advocacy Council

ATRAC was formed to address the specific concerns of Australian-Tamils about the civil rights implications of the anti-terror legislation. There is a legitimate fear that the laws erode political freedoms and expose Australian-Tamils to racial profiling and other forms of discrimination. ATRAC is an expression of the community's desire to take proactive measures to engage the legal and policy processes at both state and federal levels to address the uncertainty surrounding these laws. ATRAC is galvanising support from like-minded organisations, parliamentarians and individuals to form an alliance to engage relevant Australian bodies to oppose the ongoing criminalisation of the Tamil community's aspirations.

Email: <enquiries@a-trac.org>
Web: <www.a-trac.org>

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GetUp! Limited.

Focus: Political changes to the counter-terrorism regime and actions to
highlight the importance of the rule of law. Increasing the transparency of
the political process and the accountablity of public office holders.
Advocacy campaigns on the highest profile cases.

Primary activities: Campaigning on progressive issues, online and grassroots
mobilisation, advocacy and increasing citizens’ understanding of and
participation in political processes.

Getting involved: Online campaigns, community events, volunteer involvement
in and support for media blitzes and other public actions. Regular email
update and blogs.

w. http://www.getup.org.au
e. info@getup.org.au