IPA condemns Turkish murder
The International Publishers Association (IPA) has condemned the murder of prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in Istanbul last week.IPA spokesperson Bjorn Smith-Simondsen said in a statement: ‘He was a free...
Classification confusion over Nitschke euthanasia book
Attorney-general Philip Ruddock has asked the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OLFC) to review a decision allowing the local distribution of a book by euthanasia advocate Dr Phillip Nitschke.Ruddock...
IPA, PEN criticise Iranian censorship
The International Publishers Association (IPA), International PEN and human rights organisation ARTICLE 19 have written to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, urging him to lift the Procedural Guidelines for Publication issued...
‘Censorship by salesmen’
Literary agent Lyn Tranter has described as ‘gutless' the decision by Scholastic Australia to cancel publication of Army of the Pure by author John Dale. The children's book, commissioned by...
Turkey prepares for greater scrutiny in 2008
Following the signature of an agreement between the Republic of Turkey and the Frankfurt Book Fair in Ankara late last month, Turkey was today formally presented as the Guest of Honour...
Ruddock refuses to budge on sedition, but may allow researchers access to banned books
Federal Attorney-general Philip Ruddock has rejected the key recommendation of the Australian Law Reform Commission's report into the Government's 2005 Anti-terrorism Act--that the term ‘sedition' be removed.‘I won't be recommending...
New Nitschke book seized by customs
On Tuesday 19 September, the first box of The Peaceful Pill Handbook by voluntary euthanasia proponent Philip Nitschke and Fiona Stewart (Exit International) to be sent from the US to...
Protest at removal of books from university library
Several organisations representing authors and librarians have issued a joint statement protesting the forced removal of two books from the University of Melbourne's library. Join the Caravan (Azzam Publications) and...
Drop ‘sedition’, says Law Reform Commission
The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has recommended that the Australian Government drop the term ‘sedition' from its anti-terror laws.Summarising the main outcome of a five-month review, ALRC president David...
Court challenge to banned Islamic books
The NSW Council of Civil Liberties has launched a legal challenge to the recent banning of two books by the Classification Review Board.The Council will shortly begin proceedings in the Federal...
ASA joins ‘book banning’ protests
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has joined the chorus of voices protesting plans by the Attorney-general, Philip Ruddock, to tighten the classification regime for books.In a letter sent to...
APA objects to A-G’s book censorship plans
Australian Publishers Association (APA) CEO Maree McCaskill has written to Attorney-general Philip Ruddock and to all state attorneys-general expressing ‘grave concern' about plans to tighten regulations governing the Classification Review...