NSW Council for Civil Liberties

About

The NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) was founded in 1963 with the aim of protecting the rights and liberties of persons in Australia and its Territories. It is now one of Australia's leading human rights and civil liberties organisations.

What kind of work?

NSWCCL monitors and fights against infringement of these rights and liberties and the abuse of power by government, its agencies and others. They advocate strengthening democratic rights and liberties.

To this end NSWCCL attempts to influence public debate and government policy on a range of civil and human rights issues. THey try to secure amendments to laws or changes in policy where civil liberties are not fully respected.

They prepare submissions to government, engage regularly in public debates, produce publications, hold events and conduct many other activities.

Location

Sydney

Student Opportunities

Internships at the NSWCCL last between 20 days and 6 months.

Students get involved with a variety of activities with NSWCCL. Activities typically include researching civil liberties and human rights issues, writing submissions to government inquiries, preparing information for media releases and comment, drafting responses to complaints about breaches of civil liberties, assisting asylum seekers and refugees, and attending meetings and conferences. Interns are generally placed in the office of one of NSWCCL's executive office-holders.

Student placements and internships are unpaid.

You can find the link here: https://www.nswccl.org.au/internships

Graduate Opportunities

Registered members of NSWCCL can choose to participate in a variety of social justice opportunities, including action groups, legal panels and donation drives.

You can find the link to non-employment opportunities for registered members here: https://www.nswccl.org.au/get_involved

Fun Fact / Recent Project

Panel Discussion on First Nations NSWCCL’s online First Nations justice panel discussion was held on 11 September 2020, and featured Judge Myers AM, Sarah Hopkins, Teela Reid and NSWCCL President Nicholas Cowdery AO QC. The panelists generously shared their knowledge, expertise and heart in speaking about over-incarceration of Indigenous Australians, systemic racism, 'just' policing, the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The panel discussion was a call to action in relation to the implementation of the recommendations of the ALRC’s report “Pathways to Justice”, including a focus on the crucial need for a commitment to justice reinvestment and specialty courts (such as the Walama Court in NSW).