TheCLDC

The CLDC is a not-for-profit community legal service established to promote and protect freedom of expression and other democratic rights in Australia.

[Deepcut News @deepcutnews]

For the first time, an Australian court has heard expert evidence linking Pine Gap to Israel's atrocities.

Prof Richard Tanter tendered a 34-page report to the Alice Springs Local Court in a case involving protest action at the facility.

The report details why it's "likely" the US spy base assisted Israeli forces as it slaughtered civilians en masse in Gaza, as well as in its attacks on Lebanon and Yemen.

https://t.co/Gq2RSNhvF9

[TheCLDC @TheCLDC]

Healthcare workers - Not a target!
Don't miss the Dr Adnan Al Bursh memorial lecture.
https://t.co/5dHT1Rc6yG

[Senator Lidia Thorpe @SenatorThorpe]

Sign the open letter to support my Bill to ban the shackling of people giving birth nationwide:

https://t.co/Pvkvb084g9

[David Shoebridge @DavidShoebridge]

Incredibly brave evidence this morning from women and men who have survived brutal strip searches in youth jails - a tool for social control, to humiliate and degrade - and disproportionately used against First Nations young people

[Deepcut News @deepcutnews]

The crossbench - led by @davidpocock and @sophiescamps - introduced an omnibus bill last week to stop Australia enabling genocide.

Most of the mainstream media ignored it, and Labor and the Coalition voted to block a Senate inquiry into the Red Lines Package – a highly unusual move.

So we're sharing the key details of the Red Lines Package. 👇️
https://t.co/5D9hSvdXEL

[Teachers for Palestine NSW @T4PalestineNSW]

Snap Rally: Free Palestine- Reinstate John Morris

Thursday 4:30pm
@NSWEducation Paramatta, 105 Philip (himself a coloniser..) Street

Teachers for Palestine condemns this which hunt and demands John's immediate reinstatement

https://t.co/L2Jaj4HEdG

[TheCLDC @TheCLDC]

Healthcare workers - Not a target!
Don't miss the Dr Adnan Al Bursh memorial lecture.
https://t.co/5dHT1Rc6yG

[Hanan Ashrawi @DrHananAshrawi]

Noura is a brilliant, thoughtful, principled human rights lawyer; for her to be arrested for exercising her right to free speech is symptomatic of a serious & disturbing degeneration in the American system.

[Paul Gregoire @PaulrGregoire]

.@NSWCCL president Timothy Roberts warns that the NSW State Surveillance Bill before parliament will empower NSW police to surveil the public using technologies that now hold the most intimate details about our lives
👇
https://t.co/GCc6jPWZYC

via @sydcrimlawyers

[XD LAW @XDlawyers]

STATEMENT RE MARY KOSTAKIDIS AND THE ZIONIST FEDERATION

After 2 years of utterly pointless legal proceedings against Mary Kostakidis, Alon Cassuto of the Zionist Federation pulled up stumps and ended the case on Friday.

There were no deeds, undertakings or apologies. There was an agreement that he would not be pursued for costs and he simply walked away.

In the interests of social cohesion we gave him a dignified exit and basically said nothing. Instead of taking a deep breath before trying to explain to his backers how profoundly he had failed, he put out a press release. One of the most deceptive we have ever seen. The short correct version is Alon lost. Badly. He achieved nothing of any legal consequence. Australians are still relatively free to speak their minds without being overly concerned about what Mr Cassuto thinks. Mary stoicly never ceded an inch to him and she will continue to say as she wishes on all public events.

Alon’s solemn legal proceeding didn’t begin 2 years ago with a court filing, it began with a bells and whistles press conference and a single compliant journalist at the ready. Mr Cassuto, then freshly appointed as the CEO of the Zionist Federation of Australia, announced he had taken offence to two tweets Mary had made in the midst of the bombardment of Gaza. So offended that Mary would have to answer for it in the Federal court under the Racial Discrimination Act. It now seems that the Act was just a handy prop for Mr Cassuto’s objectives. A man with no reputation was going to launch himself bringing down a woman who had one. So he thought.

Mr Cassuto’s legal proceeding to ventilate his hurt over tweets began with nothing more than slurs about Mary and ended in the same vacuous way. For two years he wasted the resources of the Federal Court and the Human Rights Commission, the time and expense of half a dozen lawyers putting on claims and defences circulating around Alon’s hurt and offence. And then on the verge of the trial he withdraws with a self serving flourish:
“My objectives in bringing this proceeding have been substantially satisfied.”

Really. Did he ever have a proper purpose in bringing this court proceeding? Or was it just a monumental waste of time resources and money until Alon breezily decides that his objectives have been met. If his objective was to pointlessly fan political and religious tension he may have a point. Or perhaps it was to encourage a schoolyard pile-on to Mary Kostakidis. Well done. Or was it to bring disrepute to the Zionist Federation by portraying them fundamentally as thin skinned and enemies of free speech.

In his account of his legal objectives Mr Cassuto infers that one of his accomplishments was that ‘Ms Kostakidis has publicly apologised’ That was 18 months ago. And nothing to do with you Mr Cassuto. Various meanings were being taken from her posts. Mary didn’t agree with those interpretations but under her own steam apologised if any hurt was taken. That is because she is a nice person, a class act and not a windbag. Every dollar spent, all the wreckage and all the vitriol since then, was for the vanity of Mr. Cassuto. He wanted a few more words added that were to his liking and he wanted a Federal Court proceeding to force Mary to say them. She wouldn’t be bullied to say your words Mr Cassuto and she will not be in the future.

[TheCLDC @TheCLDC]

A huge victory for freedom of speech.
Congratulations @MaryKostakidis and team!

[💧Mary Kostakidis @MaryKostakidis]

Breaking: Zionists legal proceedings against me have been withdrawn after a 2 year battle.

This is a win for every Australian who values our democratic right to freedom of political expression. Zionist zealotry has had to beat a retreat from what was going to be a highly damaging trial.

I have spent 2 years doing nothing but preparing my defence in a case aimed at silencing me - a case that would have cost the average Australian their home.

I want to thank my fellow Australians who recognised the significance of what we stand to lose, stood with me and stepped up to assist me to launch my defence.

The purpose of journalism is to get to the truth - fearlessly - and to hold power to account. This is a win for press freedom, which has prevailed.

I want to thank my legal team, XD Law led by Mark Davis assisted by Jack Vaughn, and the formidable Sheryn Omeri assisted by Richard Reynolds, who took on board the full national and international dimensions that the case warranted, and my husband for his unflinching moral clarity.

Watching a people live stream their own genocide while the international community responsible for creating this mess offers the victims sympathy and the perpetrators bombs, diplomatic cover and impunity, has been disgusting. Thank you to the Jewish and Israeli people all over the world raging against this in recognition our common humanity trumps any form of tribalism.

Australia must stop disregarding the Orders of the International Court of Justice which were clear: we are obliged under international law to take meaningful action to prevent genocide in Palestine and to do all in our power to bring about an end to apartheid. Hypocrisy, double standards and a lack of courage are aiding the destruction of a framework intended to protect against the worst excesses of state power.

[💧Mary Kostakidis @MaryKostakidis]

Breaking: Zionists legal proceedings against me have been withdrawn after a 2 year battle.

This is a win for every Australian who values our democratic right to freedom of political expression. Zionist zealotry has had to beat a retreat from what was going to be a highly damaging trial.

I have spent 2 years doing nothing but preparing my defence in a case aimed at silencing me - a case that would have cost the average Australian their home.

I want to thank my fellow Australians who recognised the significance of what we stand to lose, stood with me and stepped up to assist me to launch my defence.

The purpose of journalism is to get to the truth - fearlessly - and to hold power to account. This is a win for press freedom, which has prevailed.

I want to thank my legal team, XD Law led by Mark Davis assisted by Jack Vaughn, and the formidable Sheryn Omeri assisted by Richard Reynolds, who took on board the full national and international dimensions that the case warranted, and my husband for his unflinching moral clarity.

Watching a people live stream their own genocide while the international community responsible for creating this mess offers the victims sympathy and the perpetrators bombs, diplomatic cover and impunity, has been disgusting. Thank you to the Jewish and Israeli people all over the world raging against this in recognition our common humanity trumps any form of tribalism.

Australia must stop disregarding the Orders of the International Court of Justice which were clear: we are obliged under international law to take meaningful action to prevent genocide in Palestine and to do all in our power to bring about an end to apartheid. Hypocrisy, double standards and a lack of courage are aiding the destruction of a framework intended to protect against the worst excesses of state power.

[David Shoebridge @DavidShoebridge]

Punching a barely conscious man strapped to a hospital guerney: NOT a sackable offence for NSW Police.

Chris Minns and Labor have set this standard.

[TheCLDC @TheCLDC]

Brilliant article by @Lana_Tatour and Noam Peleg.
Zionism is being openly & blatantly turned into a protected legal category in tandem with government.
If you think it stops there, think again.
https://t.co/lD8x1lRTWg

[TheCLDC @TheCLDC]

Tertiary Education Quality & Standards Agency, appears to want all tertiary institutions to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
Just look at the loaded questions & extremely tight time frame for submissions.
This is not consultation, its diktat.
https://t.co/pcpF9bnJZF

[Paul Gregoire @PaulrGregoire]

NSW police is set to expand its Moree drone trial to other regional areas, while the Aboriginal Legal Service is warning that the technology is already being used to disproportionately police Aboriginal communities in the township
👇
https://t.co/OHZLlGNZI1

via @sydcrimlawyers

[Deepcut News @deepcutnews]

More than 500 Australian health professionals, including a Nobel laureate, have signed an open letter calling on the federal government to act on Gaza.

The open letter is an act of defiance against @AHPRA's controversial decision to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism - which the NSW Supreme Court rubbished last month as "detached from reality".

“Health advocacy is not an added bonus. It’s not discretionary. It’s actually core business."

Open letter can be read 👇️

https://t.co/P4hctQbmnp

[XD LAW @XDlawyers]

James Ricketson and “white shirt guy“ Derek Jones are heading to the Supreme Court next week, not to seek damages but to have the court review the orders that turned police feral that night. There’s no profit in this case for them, just expense, risk and hopefully public good. Help them get to court. Donate https://t.co/MC5NOVKAuj

[💧Mary Kostakidis @MaryKostakidis]

Another scalp
For being disrespectful to an ideology, and endorsing a Cathy Wilcox cartoon.
Off with his head I say!
In all seriousness, Zionists are doing their own cause far more damage than all critics of Zionism together could possibly do.

[Lara Friedman @LaraFriedmanDC]

Love it or hate it, but let's at least be honest about what HR 4795 - the Orwellian-named "Protect Economic & Academic Freedom Act of 2026" [more rightly called the "Protect & Promote Israel/Settlements At the Expense of US Education & Free Speech Act"] is/does:

4 key points 🧵