Pirate Party Australia raises alarm over miscarriage of justice in David McBride case, lengthy prison term

Posted on

Pirate Party Australia condemns the harsh punishment of whistleblower Major David McBride – 68 months prison – for leaking to the press. The ABC in 2017 used his leaks to report on war crimes in Afghanistan by some of Australia’s SAS soldiers.

When McBride, a military lawyer, shared evidence of serious leadership misconduct to an investigative journalist of the ABC, he defied the military’s orders of secrecy. “As a lawyer, he believed that he had a paramount duty to the public interest. Internal investigations he had instigated were going no-where, the AFP had off-handedly dismissed his concerns, so in the end he went to the media to blow the whistle”, said party President Miles Whiticker. “Whistleblower protection laws failed to protect him. This sentence sends a chilling message to all potential whistleblowers in the country.”

Read More

Alexei Navalny Condolence Statement from Pirate Party of Russia

Posted on

The following is a translation of the statement from the Pirate Party of Russia about Alexei Navalny. For those of you who can read Russian, you can find the original post here: https://pirate-party.ru/smert-navalnogo/

Russian pirates participated with Alexei Navalny at the Internet Freedom Conference on December 7, 2019. You can find a video of his speech at that conference here: https://youtu.be/3L6YvHxRKL8?si=zSCm6wvfnBmaH3OI

1125 days in jail

I am not one of those who left the land

to the mercy of its enemies.

Their flattery leaves me cold,

my songs are not for them to praise.

Anna Akhmatova*

Back in November 2018, the Congress of the Pirate Party of Russia, a direct governing body consisting of all members of the party, made the following decision by a majority vote: The Pirate Party of Russia expresses a note of support to Alexei Navalny** in the fight for the implementation of the constitutional rights of citizens of the Russian Federation, including the right to vote and be elected. 5.5 years later, our country has entered the era of the pale horse, and we regret to admit that after 1125 days spent in custody after an unsuccessful poisoning, deprived of health, family, his country and even basic constitutional and human rights, Alexey Navalny** died.

We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Alexey**, as well as to all the people who consider him a hero and leader of a free Russia.

This is what books will be written about you:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.,”

Unpretentious boys –

Vanka, Vaska, Alyoshka, Grishka,—

Grandchildren, brothers, sons!

Anna Akhmatova*

In prisons not only in Russia – which has actually turned into a prison for all its inhabitants, but throughout the world, sparks of freedom are also glowing – people, thanks to their actions and beliefs, are recognized as dangerous to the enemies of freedom. But, as Alexey** said: “For the triumph of evil, the inaction of good people is necessary, so there is no need to be inactive.” We will not give up and call on everyone, both friends and opponents of Alexei, not to remain idle and continue the fight for their lives and freedom, and also to remember the enemies of freedom by name and contribute to retribution for their deeds.

We know what trembles in the scales,

What has to be accomplished.

The hour for courage. If all else fails,

With courage we are not unfurnished.

Anna Akhmatova*

A human is alive as long as the memory of him is alive. Alexey** left a huge legacy for all humanity, including the pirate movement. In memory of Alexey** we are publishing his speech at our Internet Freedom Conference in 2019 “Stop helping ghouls!”:

Алексей Навальный «Прекратите помогать упырям!» | Internet Freedom Conference

​​* wife and mother of those whom the regime considered extremists and terrorists.

** person included by the Russian Ministry of Justice in the list of organizations and individuals involved in terrorism and extremist activities

Howard and Iraq: delayed documents deserve discussion

Posted on

A number of 2003 Cabinet records, presumed to relate to the Howard Government’s decision to join the war in Iraq, were not transferred to the Archives in 2020, as they should have been for review prior to release yesterday. [1]

“We eagerly anticipate the release of these records,” said Miles Whiticker, President of Pirate Party Australia. “The delay may even prove beneficial — instead of being one tranche of many from 2003, all released in the holiday season, these missing documents will stand alone in the news cycle.”

Transparency — even on a 20 year delay — is vital for maintaining trust. What is known from the releases is that the decision to go to war was made by Cabinet based on “oral reports by the prime minister”. [2]

The Pirate Party believes that no Prime Minister should have the sole authority to commit Australia to war, a position which the recent releases only reinforce. Rather, Australians must not be sent to war without a 2/3rds majority in each house of Parliament. [3]

We urge the Albanese Government to enact war powers reform.


References:

[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/01/morrison-government-failed-to-give-howard-era-national-security-cabinet-papers-to-national-archives 
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/01/australia-went-to-war-in-iraq-based-on-oral-reports-to-cabinet-from-john-howard 
[3]: https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Platform#Defence.2C_diplomacy_and_aid 

Pirate Party Australia Calls for Peace and Justice in Israel-Palestine Conflict

Posted on

Amidst the recent surge in violence across Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel, Pirate Party Australia urges a balanced and critically informed approach to this highly complex issue. It is our firm belief that critiquing the policies and actions of a nation does not equate to hatred towards its people. Simplistic demonisation and rhetoric only exacerbates hatred and is a barrier to ending the cycle of violence. We reject language from political figures and the media that portrays either Palestinians or Israelis as less than human. We stand against any form of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, promoting dialogue and understanding instead.

Read More

Pirate Party Australia Sounds Alarm on Privacy Risks of New Identity Verification Laws

Posted on

Pirate Party Australia has sounded the alarm over the potential risks to personal privacy posed by the newly introduced Identity Verification Services (IVS) Bill 2023. This bill claims to bolster identity verification processes but instead introduces new risks to Australians.

“While it’s good that there’s finally going to be a legislative framework here, we’re concerned about the lack of detail regarding protections for Australians against abuses of power and misuses of data,” said Miles Whiticker, party president. “This Bill falls short on transparency and accountability, components that are essential in upholding trust and integrity in how personal data is handled by the government.”

The Pirate Party is pushing for refined and comprehensible guidelines that outline the use and protection of citizens’ identities. It is critical for individuals to be fully informed and to grant explicit consent prior to having their information verified through the new system. Such informed consent is necessary for individuals to make decisions that are in their best interest regarding their personal data.

“The debate surrounding this Bill has also been characterised by an inadequate level of public engagement and consultation,” Mr Whiticker continued. “In our view, a more inclusive approach is required—one that factors in a wider array of perspectives from the Australian community, ensuring that the system reflects the public’s concerns and expectations in relation to digital identity verification.”

Going further, the Pirate Party proposes alternatives that could strike a better balance between the needs of identity verification and safeguarding personal privacy. International best practices for guidance include the strict privacy protocols in models like the GDPR in Europe, which was implemented with the support of the European Pirate Party, and Canada’s Digital Charter. Such systems place a strong emphasis on gaining user consent, reducing the retention of personal data, and implementing stringent controls over data management. These international examples provide a blueprint for amending the current IVS Bill to better respect privacy, affirm user control over personal identity data, and ultimately ensure that Australia’s own policies are in lockstep with leading global standards. Finally, the privacy protections in the IVS Bill must be bought up to the standards of the proposed Digital ID Bill.

Pirate Party Australia reaffirms its dedication to defending the privacy of Australians in the face of advancing digital technology. The party is calling for a comprehensive reassessment of the IVS Bill to fully address the issues highlighted and invite a progressive dialogue to realign the Bill with core principles of digital rights and privacy.