Civil + Digital Liberties Civil + DigitalLiberties

In the modern world the public square has largely been destroyed - most spaces open to the public, both physical and digital, are now owned by corporations rather than society.

For freedoms to matter they must extend across society, rather than be limited to the shrinking confines of public space.

• Restore the public domain
• Intellectual property reform
• Privacy and digital rights

Copyright, IP, and the public domain

The proper purpose for copyright and patents is to protect authors, inventors, and other content creators, by providing them with a limited period of exclusive rights over their works - encouraging creative activity. Their use has shifted though, and are now often used to eliminate competitors and their work, with litigation used to prevent creativity and new culture. For culture to grow, and progress be made, these creations must be returned to the public domain.

• Review trade agreements that inflict foreign regulations on Australian creators.
• Modernise copyright with a Creative Works Act, so that our culture is not merely sold back to us under the control of rent-seeking monopolies.
• Review and reform the patent system with the aim of creating a fairer and more innovative market.
• Oppose monopolistic corporate behaviour in favour of more open, competitive and free markets where innovation and creativity will flourish.

Privacy and digital rights

There are large power imbalances between the average citizen and the government and corporate institutions that dominate every facet of our modern lives. To maintain our fundamental human dignity, and ensure our public and private institutions represent the interests of the people, we must protect both the privacy of individuals, and their freedom to express themselves. In the modern world, that means digital rights, with minimal censorship, network neutrality and freedom of expression in all of its forms.

• Enshrine network neutrality and freedom of expression in law.

Intellectual property reform

• Review and reform the patent system with the aim of creating a fairer and more innovative market.

• Reform the current Copyright Act, and replace it with a new Creative Works Act.

• Oppose monopolistic corporate behaviour in favour of more open, competitive and free markets where innovation and creativity will flourish.