In April, the main 13 of the 58 Parties contesting the 2013 federal election were invited to make their positions clear on vital privacy issues of the time. (Note that the list of issues was finalised before the Snowden revelations about the uncontrolled and wildly excessive surveillance of telecommunications traffic by the NSA).
The Parties' positions were scored, based on (a) their responses and (b) their public platforms. Where answers were not apparent from the response or the platform, the party's stance was interpolated from (c) its other policies, (d) media reports on its stances, and (e) its behaviour in the past. Scores were assigned only to those parties whose policies on relevant matters are reasonably apparent.
A mark of up to 5 points was awarded for each of the 18 topics, plus 5 each for Discoverability (D – the ease of finding the information) and Response (R – the quality of any response provided).
A brief summary of the results is below. The results are then presented for those parties whose policies in relation to privacy matters were stated or could reasonably be interpolated, followed by brief comments on the findings in relation to each of the other parties.
1. Labor, the Liberals and the Nationals are hostile to human rights generally and privacy in particular. To vote for them is to vote for privacy-abusive laws, and against privacy protections.
2. The Greens remain close to the people who they represent. They have long had, and retain, an enlightened set of policies. They scored a highly commendable 89/100.
3. The Pirate Party, despite being a newcomer, has a remarkably comprehensive platform, which is very positive on human rights and privacy issues in its heartland area of the digitally literate. They scored remarkably high, also adding up to 89/100.
4. The Wikileaks Party and The Sex Party do not have comprehensive platforms, but have at least some policies that are significantly supportive of privacy.
5. The other parties have limited platforms, which contain little or nothing on human rights generally, let alone on privacy. The latter-day Democrats are a pale shadow of the Democrats of the Natasha Stott-Despoja era.
Labor's Platform contains short statements in relation to consumer rights and discrimination, but nothing on any other aspect of human rights.
The Liberals' Platform contains a brief mention of a pro-media / anti-privacy position, and support for freedom of speech, but is otherwise devoid of any content relating to human rights, or indeed consumer rights.
The Nationals' Platform web-site contains nothing whatsoever relating to human rights or consumer rights. Its brochure contains a little on consumer rights, but its only position relevant to human rights is opposition to a Charter.
The Greens' Platform is comprehensive, and has a specific segment on human rights, and the Party provided specific and positive responses to the APF's Election Challenge.
The Pirate Party's Platform includes specific segments on civil liberties, including privacy, and the Party provided specific and positive responses to the APF's Election Challenge.
The Wikileaks Party's Platform includes strong pro-privacy positions on whistleblowing protections and telecommunications surveillance. (The invitation was sent late, and hence the scoring is provisional).
The Sex Party's Platform includes a number of policies on human rights matters, and it has been consistently pro-privacy over the years. (The invitation was sent late, and hence the scoring is provisional).
Party |
Score |
D |
R |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Labor | 22
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
||
| Liberals | 11
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
||
| Nationals | 13
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
||
89
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
||||
| Pirate Party | 89
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
1
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
||
| Wikileaks Party | 21
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
3
|
3
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Sex Party | 25
|
5
|
5
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
4
|
The Democratic Labor Party's Platform includes a short segment on Constitution and Democratic Rights, opposing any form of compulsory id card or system, but also opposing a Bill of Rights.
The Australian Democrats' Platform contains a policy on sexuality and gender, but nothing else about human or consumer rights.
Katter's Australian Party Platform contains very little about human or consumer rights.
One Nation's Platform contains very little about human or consumer rights (although some of its policies are anti-privacy).
Family First appears not to have a Platform.
Palmer United appears not to have a Platform.