Mike Stanton
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mikestanton.bsky.social
Mike Stanton
@mikestanton.bsky.social
Senior Counsel at the Victorian Bar - Brian Bourke Chambers. Immediate Past President at Liberty Victoria. Rugby tragic. Naarm/Melbourne via Ngambri/Canberra. Interests include #auslaw and #auspol. He/him.
Reposted by Mike Stanton
We are proud to announce that the recipient of this year’s Liberty Victoria Voltaire Human Rights award is Dr Mohammed Mustafa.
He is an English-Australian emergency physician trainee, humanitarian, and former international athlete of Palestinian heritage.
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July 30, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Reposted by Mike Stanton
Liberty Victoria calls on the Australian Government to immediately do everything in its power to stop the unnecessary and inhumane deaths of civilians in Gaza.
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May 22, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Citizenship stripping is a terrible idea: (1) It creates two tiers of citizenship and weakens the ties that bind us; (2) it undermines the judiciary and results in executive overreach and politicised decisions; and (3) it seeks to offload our responsibilities to others. #auspol
March 17, 2025 at 9:32 PM
The duplicity of this Government fronting Yoorrook and now desperately introducing these draconian bail reforms is just breathtaking. Including removing the principle of detention being a last resort for children? This will result in deaths in custody. It’s a disgrace. #springst
March 11, 2025 at 9:00 PM
This was always on the cards for anyone that has watched Trump since he emerged in 2016. The real issue for us in Australia is AUKUS - Morrison signed us up to a total 🍋 - probably the worst strategic blunder on national security since Federation. #auspol
March 1, 2025 at 1:24 AM
ICYMI, pleased to have written this on Trumpism and Australian politics for @johnmenadue.com, and to see it run in @thenewdaily.bsky.social. www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2025... #auspol
If the Coalition under Dutton isn’t liberal or conservative, what is it?
Along with Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton is Coalition leader most willing to embrace a Trumpian style of politics.
www.thenewdaily.com.au
February 22, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Reposted by Mike Stanton
Great Liberty Victoria planning day for 2025. We’re looking forward to the challenges ahead (including a federal election)!
February 8, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Now would be a good time to take a bipartisan approach confirming our commitment to international law and defending the International Criminal Court. But the masks are slipping and people with deep antagonism towards human rights and the rule of law are happy to watch it burn. #auspol #auslaw
February 7, 2025 at 1:31 AM
On the last minute capitulation of the Government on the Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024 (Cth)... The ALP know why mandatory sentencing fails and causes injustice. #auspol #auslaw 🧵 1/10
February 5, 2025 at 11:38 PM
You can’t really blame people for falling for charlatans and authoritarians when progressive voices vacate the field and don’t explain why things like international law and the separation of powers matters. If people think it’s all just a game why would any of it matter? #auspol
February 5, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Sadly this has now been demonstrated again: “Labor’s long-standing policy against mandatory sentencing now comes with an asterisk; Labor is opposed to mandatory sentencing apart from when it’s politically expedient”. rightnow.org.au/opinion/labo... #auspol
Labor’s Mandatory Sentencing Problem - Right Now
Labor's own 2023 National Platform opposes mandatory sentencing. So why is the Albanese Labor Government introducing mandatory sentencing laws now?
rightnow.org.au
February 5, 2025 at 11:59 AM
How many focus groups does the ALP need to consult before deciding to speak out against ethnic cleansing? #auspol
February 5, 2025 at 10:31 AM
The handwringing by some faith based groups to excuse Elon Musk would be ridiculous if it wasn’t so serious. Anyone who has been watching the emergence of the alt-right and now full blown neo-nazis online knows how they would receive and use that as message of support. Do better.
January 25, 2025 at 2:42 AM
It’s not a surprise that Dutton has sought to further politicise conflict in the Middle East through appeals to penal populism. However, a few points: 🧵 #auspol #auslaw 1/6
January 20, 2025 at 2:43 AM
RIP David Lynch. Thanks for opening our eyes to other worlds and then our own. Time for a coffee black as midnight on a moonless night.
January 16, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Reposted by Mike Stanton
Elon Musk’s fascist turn isn’t puzzling at all.

It’s all about labour 🧵
January 6, 2025 at 8:35 PM
If you’re letting Neo-Nazis set the agenda regarding hate speech laws then you’re losing the battle. #springst
December 20, 2024 at 9:51 PM
You can’t legislate or punish your way to social cohesion, nor do you get there by emboldening authoritarian actors through repressive policy. #springst
December 18, 2024 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Mike Stanton
Last night I drew a map of places of worship in and around Melbourne’s CBD w/ 150m exclusion zones around them. It shows that the new laws will make protests at common gathering places, parks, transport hubs and thoroughfares illegal /🧵
December 18, 2024 at 12:55 AM
Allan again conflating the dreadful firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue with peaceful protest. It’s a fundamentally disingenuous approach. The Govt has a responsibility to protect human rights, not legislate them away when it’s politically expedient. #springst
December 17, 2024 at 10:53 PM
People who have widely supported reforms to criminalise some forms of speech are now realising what happens when politicians use the same logic to attack protest rights. There’s no credibility if you only defend the speech you agree with. #auspol
December 15, 2024 at 8:17 AM
Reposted by Mike Stanton
We’re very pleased to have had our written submissions and evidence quoted at length in the final report of the Cth Senate’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee’s Inquiry into Right Wing Extremist Movements in Australia. 🧵 1/6 #auspol #auslaw
December 7, 2024 at 12:44 AM
Jeff Kennett writing from a position of ignorance on criminal law in Victoria. Over the past decade we’ve had an explosion of mandatory sentencing and a huge increase in our prisoner population (only reduced because of the response to COVID). #springst www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion...
www.heraldsun.com.au
November 30, 2024 at 12:24 AM