Pirate Party to run Independent Candidates in Upcoming ACT Election

Posted on

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.”

Read More

Pirate Party Demands Extension of Submission Deadline for National Security Inquiry

Posted on

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.

Read More

Pirate Party Australia Webcast – Episode 4

Posted on

In this episode Sam covers some recent news, plays a speech by Simon Frew at a rally for Julian Assange, does a pirate profile on Grant Muir  and reads the fourth and final installment of The History of Copyright. Subscribe to the feed, or view past episodes.

News:
ACTA defeated in European Parliament – Techdirt, Falkvinge
ALRC Copyright Review – ALRC.gov.au
ACT Membership Drive
PPAU Congress 2012 – wiki page

Julian Assange & Wikileaks Support Protest:
YouTube video

Pirate Profile: Grant Muir

History Of Copyright:
No Safe Harbour book
Rick Falkvinge’s Blog (links to the 7 original blog entries)

Quote:
“As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth’s final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.” – from the computer game Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier.

Podcast (webcast): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:43 — 19.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

ACTA Crushed in EU – Pirate Party Celebrates

Posted on

Today, in spectacular fashion, the secretly negotiated Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement was voted down in the European Parliament by a landslide 478 – 39.

Rodney Serkowski, founder of Pirate Party Australia and active campaigner against ACTA said, “The crushing defeat of this secretly negotiated and undemocratic agreement is a stunning victory for civil liberties and their primacy in the intellectual property rights debate. It is fitting that on July 4, Independence Day, the EU has declared its ‘independence’ from American special interests.”[1]

Read More