Category: Press Release

Press releases

Pirate Party Australia demands continued legislative independence

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Leaks of information regarding the highly secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) negotiations have prompted Pirate Party Australia to call for a reclamation of Australian sovereignty.

The most recent leak, published by KEI Online, show that while the United States negotiators publicly said they would be pushing for protection of fair use, the US and Australia were advocating for stricter limitations to copyright exceptions[1].

Other negotiating parties present – New Zealand, Chile, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam – put forward proposals that would allow exceptions and limitations to copyright and technological protection measures, and the extension of those exceptions into the “digital environment.” Both of these proposals were opposed by the US and Australia.

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Pirate Party launches National Security Inquiry Petition

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Earlier today Pirate Party Australia launched an online petition, objecting to the proposals of the National Security Inquiry. The Inquiry was referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) by the Attorney-General. The petition will be presented to the Senate, and can be signed here.

The National Security Inquiry (#natsecinquiry) proposes to extend the powers of Australian intelligence and security agencies, including greater provisions for telecommunications interception – such as accessing unrelated computer systems – and penalties for refusing to disclose passwords. The proposal may also allow intelligence and security officers to be shielded from penalties for misconduct.

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Pirate Party to run Independent Candidates in Upcoming ACT Election

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Pirate Party Australia’s ACT branch formed in early June 2012, and planned to compete in the October Legislative Assembly election with their name on the ballot as a fully registered party.

Yesterday morning the ACT electoral commission released a statement rejecting the application on the grounds that it was not satisfied that the Party had 100 members who were electors at the time the party’s application was submitted. 16 of the 110 submitted were not on the electoral roll under an ACT address, meaning the Party fell short by six electors.

“While we are disappointed that we missed out on registration by such a small margin, we will amend our application and expect to be registered as soon as possible, although that will likely not be possible now until after the election,” said Glen Takkenberg, Registered Officer for Pirate Party ACT. “This does not mean will we will not contest the election. We will field candidates to be listed in the ungrouped section of the ballot.”

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Pirate Party Demands Extension of Submission Deadline for National Security Inquiry

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In what Crikey’s Bernard Keane has rightfully called an “government wishlist of new surveillance powers”[1], the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security (JPCIS) has asked for submissions on the Attorney-General’s Department’s discussion paper ‘Equipping Australia Against Emerging and Evolving Threats.'[2]

The discussion paper suggests “a massive expansion of intelligence-gathering powers including data retention, the surveillance of Twitter accounts, forcing people to give up computer passwords, ASIO stop-and-search powers, government authority to direct telecommunications companies about infrastructure and the power for ASIO to plant or destroy information on computers.”[1]

Given the gravity, complexity and sheer volume of proposals and implications arising from the proposals, the window of a mere month for public comment and submissions to the Inquiry is far too small for any meaningful or considered response to the Terms of Reference.

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