Security Legislation Submission

Sydney PEN has made a submission to the National Security Legislation Discussion Paper released in August 2009. Sydney PEN Management Committee member Nicola McGarrity and Secretary Simeon Beckett have prepared a submission addressing the definition of sedition offences in the Criminal Code Act (1995), specifically where definition of intentional terrorist and seditious acts impinges on the intentional creation of a literary or creative work. Read Sydney PEN's submission here.

Sydney PEN Supports ALRC on Sedition

Since the Federal Government's announcement of its proposed legislation on sedition in 2005, Sydney PEN has joined other Australian organisations and individuals in actively opposing this legislation. After the legislation was enacted in November 2005, the Federal Government announced that the Australian Law Reform Commission would undertake an inquiry into the sedition provisions. Sydney PEN made a submission to the ALRC on 10 April 2006, supported by letters from  writers, JM Coetzee, David Williamson and Thomas Keneally.

On 29 May 2006, the ALRC issued its discussion paper on sedition, proposing that the term 'sedition' be removed from the federal statute book, and that offences urging force or violence against the government or community groups be redrafted. ALRC President Professor David Weisbrot said that the proposals aimed to ensure “there is a bright line between freedom of expression—even when exercised in a confronting or unpopular manner—and the reach of the criminal law.

“Australians place a very high value on free speech and robust political debate. There is no reason these offences, which properly target the urging of force or violence, cannot be framed in such a way to avoid capturing dissenting views and opinions or stifling the work of journalists, cartoonists, artists and film makers, either directly or through the ‘chilling effect’ of self-censorship.”

Read the ALRC’s media release explaining its proposals. This includes a link to the discussion paper.

Sydney PEN welcomes the ALRC's proposals and will work to ensure that any redrafted offences contain adequate protection for freedom of expression and thereby recognise the important role of writers in our society. Read Sydney PEN's submission to the ALRC dated 3 July 2006.