Data retention goes back underground as campaign turns up the heat

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Australian Greens, Pirate Party Australia combined press release

Australian Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam will table a petition in the Senate tomorrow circulated by Pirate Party Australia and comprising 1447 signatures raising serious concerns about proposed changes to national security laws.

The signatories have presented objections to the proposals under discussion by the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security Inquiry into potential reforms of National Security Legislation (#natsecinquiry).

“98.9 per cent of the five and a half thousand submissions received by the Committee are opposed to the unnecessary and dangerously vague data retention proposal and other draconian ideas suggested by the Attorney General’s Department,” said Senator Ludlam.

Pirate Party Secretary Brendan Molloy said, “The petitioners object to penalties for failing to provide computer passwords and near unrestricted interception of communications, as well as the appallingly short window of time provided by the Committee to make a submission, of which the Pirate Party campaigned for an extension.”

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Pirate Party Australia Webcast – Episode 10

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This week Sam recorded the show at the Sydney Meetup at the Paragon Hotel on the day of the forming of the NSW State Branch of the Pirate Party. This means there will be no live stream tonight! Subscribe to the feed, or view past episodes.

Topics
Formation of the NSW State Party – Interview with Simon Frew
Preselection nomination form
Fairfax Journalists Forced To Reveal Sources – SMH Story
Update on Trans-Pacific Partnership FOI – Petition
YouTube videos of Russian Meteor blocked in Russia due to background music – Techdirt Story
Call for “elevator Pitches” on legalisation of non-commercial copyright infringement

Feel free to contact Sam about the show on:
Twitter: @SamKearns
E-Mail: [email protected]

Podcast (webcast): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:56 — 14.2MB)

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Pirate Party Outraged by Gene Patent Case Outcome

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Pirate Party Australia is outraged that a legal challenge to the BRCA1 gene patent has failed[1][2].

“This ruling is a slap in the face for all of those who will suffer or know somebody who will suffer from breast cancer within their lifetime. It is utterly disgraceful that we live in a nation where private companies can own the genetic material within our bodies,” said Brendan Molloy, Secretary of Pirate Party Australia.

More than two years ago, Pirate Party Australia issued a statement welcoming the legal challenge[3], with the hope that the case would be a catalyst for laws to expressly forbid patents on genetic materials.

By permitting a patent on BRCA1, discoveries are now effectively given the same protections as inventions. The effect this will have on adequately treating cancer sufferers is abysmal, and also opens the door for hampering future research as private companies secure patents and charge extortionate license fees.

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Pirate Party Australia Webcast – Episode 8

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In this episode Sam talks to Thomas Randle about the new website for Pirate Party Australia and also discusses the new movie about The Pirate Bay. Subscribe to the feed, or view past episodes.

Topics
Pirate Party Australia’s New website – Interview with Thomas Randle
The Pirate Bay: Away From Keyboard – new movie released about The Pirate Bay
Event Announcements – See the calendar sidebar

Podcast (webcast): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:16 — 16.8MB)

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