A few bad opinion polls and the old 'Media Tart' is back

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott ended 2013 with the polls firmly running against him and faced with an increasingly sceptical mainstream media.

So despite his very public resolve not to feed the media and remain aloof, Abbott is once more reverting to type.

The Sporting PM on 3 January 2014 hamming it up for a national radio audience:

Action Man obliging the televised medium on 2 January 2014 at busy Queenscliff beach near Manly:

Then there was Abbott on his own social media Twitter account:

Tony Abbott ‏@TonyAbbottMHR 1 Jan

Happy New Year! If ever we should enter a New Year full of optimism, it is 2014. #HappyNewYear http://youtu.be/ooo5UgZUeTA 

Tony Abbott ‏@TonyAbbottMHR 24 Dec

From my family to yours, I wish you a happy, a peaceful and a safe Christmas. #merrychristmas http://youtu.be/mQIm769GxaI 

Hugh Jackman ‏@RealHughJackman 19 Dec

Incredible day for adoption. Deb with PM Tony Abbott. Change is coming. #thedebs #change #AU… http://instagram.com/p/iFppfZChEQ/ 

 Tony Abbott ‏@TonyAbbottMHR 17 Dec

Thanks to everyone who brought almost 500 presents for the @wishing_tree in my office. All gifts going to @salvos. pic.twitter.com/3Cc7sFXw2u

Tony Abbott ‏@TonyAbbottMHR 16 Dec

It was good to see fellow members from @DavidsonNSWRFS raising funds in Balgowlah this morning. @NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/3TqL17L41n

Tony Abbott ‏@TonyAbbottMHR 16 Dec

Great to be in my electorate @woolworths Balgowlah to help launch the Dick Smith Food Foundation pic.twitter.com/DTGIbEIhQf

Tony Abbott ‏@TonyAbbottMHR 15 Dec

Great to catch up with @DarrynLyons & @SHendersonMP at the opening of RACV Torquay Resort pic.twitter.com/TWTRKMKdkd

Darryn Lyons ‏@DarrynLyons15 Dec

What a great morning so good to have Prime Minister @TonyAbbottMHR in town @Geelong_Mayor pic.twitter.com/wQnbjJv7VR

 Retweeted by Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott ‏@TonyAbbottMHR 15 Dec

A quick pit stop at the excellent Laneway 73 in Anglesea. Good brew! pic.twitter.com/Fycys8vUYW

There also appears to be have been one Coalition measure put in place on Twitter by 28 December 2013 to ensure voters didn't forget Abbott while he was on holidays:

https://twitter.com/craigjack36

Topsy reveals that this December 2013 flurry was at least the second time around that year for this particular form of Abbott spam.

These are a selection of those tweets sent during the federal election campaign:

TiPoole @tip66

Paid Parental Leave is a winner for Tony Abbott.

       4 months ago

Darryl Snow @lapuntadelfin

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott.#PaidParentalLeaveIsAWinnerForTonyAbbott. cc @PaidParentalLeaveIsAWinnerForTonyAbbott

4 months ago

Alex @lixiepixie

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott.

      4 months ago

Jessica ™ @jessicajalvarez

Paid Parental Leave is a winner for Tony Abbott

4 months ago

Christine Lockwood @christinelockw2

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott. Very generous every one gets it. Small levy on business What's not to like #MTP

      4 months ago

Danderson @computersays

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott. [I'm not a robot]

<    4 months ago

David Lucas @_davidlucas_

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott #ausvotes #TweetLikeASpamBot

4 months ago

Peter Hinton @peterjhinton

Paid Parental Leave is a winner for Tony Abbott... and women earning more than twice the national average #AusPol

4 months ago

stivescider @stivesciderd

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott.

      4 months ago

David M. Talon @fdavidmtalon2

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott.

      4 months ago

Netz Melbourne @netz_melb

@Bearhusky Let's be crystal clear about this - paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott #auspol #ausvotes

      4 months ago

AussieFrigginHipHop @ozfrigginhiphop

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott.

      4 months ago

Teh Zohan @twitmyassoff

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott

      4 months ago

Sandra Porter @digitalbio9

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott.

      4 months ago

mycause.com.au @qmycausecomau

Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott.

      4 months ago

Michael Byrnes @michaelbyrnes

Why is a real estate company in the USA saying that? RT @realestateca Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott. #ausvotes

      4 months ago

Anonymous Raccoon @meekodev

RT @scottsues: Paid parental leave is a winner for Tony Abbott. HELP! THEY'VE GOT ME! DON'T BELIEVE ANYTH *single gun shot, line goes dead*

4 months ago

It didn't take long for advertorials to rear their ugly heads in The Daily Examiner again

A local resident complained to me about what he described as a return to "the Chapman ways" with The Daily Examiner indulging select businesses with free advertorials.

Chapman being an editor who briefly graced Grafton with his presence and left once he realised that the social temperature was dropping in his vicinity.

There are no two ways about this print and online article in The Daily Examiner on 31 December 2013 - it is an advertorial pure and simple masquerading as local news on Page Three:

Just as the online real estate advertisement in the same issue also attempted to pass itself off as news.

Not that there are likely to be too many letters to the editor or online comments on the subject which see the light of day, as APN News & Media has recently issued a blanket warning that any criticisms of its journalistic efforts must be written in the mildest of terms or they won't be published or posted.

Apparently, when faced with paying for a print newspaper containing faux news APN would like its readers to be "positive". Oh dear........

So who is this Chairman of the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council?

Abbott and Newman as seen by Nicholson

So who is this 75 year-old English immigrant from Greater London that Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has appointed Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council and of whom he states; Maurice is one of a range of voices that the Government takes very seriously.

A man whose publicly expressed views appear to march alongside Abbott’s own:

* climate change.... group-think where contrary views have not been tolerated, and where those who express them have been labelled and mocked

* The CSIRO, for example, has 27 scientists dedicated to climate change,..... It and the weather bureau continue to propagate the myth of anthropological climate change and are likely to be background critics of the Coalition’s Direct Action policies.

* the IPCC resorts to dishonesty and deceit

* Australian wage rates are very high by international standards, and our system is dogged by rigidities....The workplace is an important area of reform....

* There’s no point in beating around the bush, worthy though the causes may be, in the circumstances, it was reckless [to introduce Gonski education funding and NDIS disability insurance reforms]

A man who has been reported as meeting with Tony Abbott on a weekly basis since the September 2013 federal election.

This is what The Sydney Morning Herald of 21 December 1986 said of Maurice Newman:

Click to enlarge

While this is Mr. Newman’s professional background according to Bloomberg Businessweek:

Mr. Maurice Lionel Newman, AC, FSIA, FSDIA has been an Advisor of Newcrest Mining Limited since June 25, 2013. Mr. Newman is an Advisor of Marsh Group of Companies, Patron of CEDA. Mr. Newman was the Chancellor of Macquarie University from 2002 to February 2008. His career spans forty years in stockbroking and investment banking. He served as Managing Director of Deutsche Bank Group in Australia since 1984. He serves as Chairman of Melon Pastoral Pty Ltd He serves as the Chairman of Australian Stock Exchange Limited since November 1994 and has been its Director since 1990. Mr. Newman serves as the Chairman of Taronga Foundation. Mr. Newman serves as Chairman of Macquarie University Foundation; The Bradman Foundation; and The Australian Fathers' Day Council. He has been a Director of Tiger Airways Australia Pty Ltd. since July 08, 2013. He serves as a Director of Queensland Investment Corporation. Mr. Newman served as the Chairman of Australian Broadcasting Corporation from December 14, 2006 to December 2011. He served as an Executive Chairman of Deutsche Bank Australia from 1985 to 1999. He served as the Chairman at ASX Markets Supervision Pty Limited until August 2008 and the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX Limited) until September 2008. Mr. Newman also served as the Chairman of Deutsche Bank Asia Pacific Advisory Board and a Director of Deutsche Bank Asia Pacific from 1999 to July 2001 and as the Chairman of Deutsche Bank Asset Management (Australia) Limited from 1997 to 2000. He served as the Chairman at Acrux Limited. Mr. Newman serves as a Director at QIC Limited since May 2004. Dr Newman has chaired a number of Asian business alliances including the East Asia and Oceania Stock Exchange Federation, and the Australia Taiwan Business Council. Mr. Newman served as the Commissioner of National Commission of Audit 1996. He served as a Commissioner of the National Commission of Audit since 1996; a member of the Business Advisory Panel established by the Minister for Multicultural Affairs from 1997 to 2002; Chairman of the National Judging Panel for Innovation in Local Government from 1997 to 1998, Chairman of the Business Mature Age Workforce Advisory Group from 2000 to 2001; Co-Chair of the Singapore Australia Business Alliance Forum from 1999 to 2002; Chairman of the Federal Treasurer's Financial Sector Advisory Council from 1998 to 2007; Member of the New South Wales Premier's Major Events Board from 2002 to 2004; Chairman of the Sydney Convention & Visitors Bureau from 2001 to 2007; and Chairman of Tourism NSW from 2002 to 2007. In 1997, he was Australia's Private Sector Representative to the First Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Business Forum held in London; and in 1999 led a delegation of senior Australian executives to New York promoting Australia, the Dynamic Success Story of the Asia Pacific - A Centre for Global Financial Services. He is a Member of Business Council of Australia Chairmen's Panel, Civil Patron, Royal Australian Naval Reserves, and Professional Studies Program. He has been in MARQ Services Advisory Board since August 2012, and Honorary Professor in Public Diplomacy at the Soft Power Advocacy & Research Centre, Macquarie University since September 2012. He is a Fellow of SDIA and a Senior Fellow of Financial Services Institute of Australia (SF Fin). He holds Doctorate in Business from Macquarie University.

There is no mention of Newman’s time as an executive director at Bain & Co in the Bloomberg account, which is also silent about his scriptwriting efforts.

The general view of Maurice Newman’s time at the ABC may be summed up in this Brett Leithbridge cartoon:

http://www.walkleys.com/gallery/90

Wanker apparently being a popular opinion of Mr. Newman's personality and intellectual capacity - though sometimes more diplomatically expressed as his being naive, behind the times, a flat earth thinker or a class warfare warrior.

Now Abbott wants to spend an est. $250 million on his own VIP air transport while ripping funding from vulnerable Australians

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott leaving one of the current VIP jets

The Royal Australian Air Force operates the Special Purpose Aircraft fleet out of Defence Establishment Fairbairn, Canberra. Currently the leased fleet comprises two Boeing 737 BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) and three Challenger CL-604 aircraft.

On average these planes fly a combined total of between 1,200-1,800 special purpose flights each year. This costs an estimated $50,000 for every hour spent in the air.

A limited range of persons are entitled to request use of these planes. Federal Government ministers and their staff as well as leading Opposition MPs and their staff have featured heavily on passenger lists in the past.

News.com.au reported on 1 January 2014 that Prime Minister Tony Abbott is intending to buy or lease at least one VIP jet capable of carrying up to two hundred passengers.

The news article suggested that he was considering either the Boeing 777 or Airbus A-330 in VIP configuration at an estimated cost of $250 million per plane.

It also stated that; the government will seek agreement from media companies to limit criticism of any decision to opt for bigger planes.

Any negative publicity would be limited to plush add ons such as gold taps or marble sinks.

Presumably Abbott is asking the media to keep quiet because he intends to embed members of the Canberra Press Gallery in his future VIP jaunts.

Well, I’m not part of this strange relationship between Tony Abbott and the Canberra Press Gallery being a very ordinary citizen living in regional New South Wales.

So I am less than impressed with this further hit on the Coalition budget bottom line. Especially when hospitals are having federal funding withdrawn – with at least $150 million reportedly cut from health services ($28 million of this apparently from projects budgeted for this financial year) and Aboriginal legal aid funding being reduced by $43 million – and Abbott is now testing the waters with regard to introducing a co-payment for GP visits.

As far as I’m concerned Abbott & Co (and their media choir) can board commercial flights, catch a train, hop on a bus, car pool or get out and walk like the rest of us.

An example of a Boeing 777 in VIP configuration:

An example of an Airbus A-330 in VIP configuration:

Declaration of Registrable Interests of Clive Palmer MP - owner of Waratah Coal which has mining interests on the NSW North Coast

Because the new Federal Member for Fairfax and Leader of the Palmer United Party, Clive Palmer MP, appears to be the sole owner of exploration and coal mine development company Waratah Coal Pty Ltd and, because this company holds at least two exploration licenses  in the Nymbioda district of the Clarence River catchment area it would be wise for local residents to familiarise themselves with the diverse and often complex business relationships of this politician as set out in his Statement of Registrable Interests.

Clive Frederick Palmer MP - Statement of Registrable Interests, 44th Australian Parliament (10 December 201...

Over 100 years ago a man half a world away nailed the conundrum facing us today

There once was a time in history when the limitation of governmental power meant increasing liberty for the people. In the present day the limitation of governmental power, of governmental action, means the enslavement of the people by the great corporations, who can only be held in check through the extension of governmental power. [Theodore Roosevelt, Address at the Coliseum, San Francisco, Sept. 14, 1912]

So how does Australian society fare if any extension of governmental power under an Abbott Government is primarily established to further the interests of corporations both great and small?

It must be something in the air.....

Google’s web page summaries can sometimes be mildly disconcerting when efforts to be concise have unexpected results.

Take this item from a recent search which appears to suggest that the Hon. Anthony John Tony Abbott lasted as Australian Prime Minister for less than three months:

Snapshot taken 29 December 2013

Or is Goggle Search accidentally playing into the hands of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire which was beginning to maliciously suggest Australian Labor Party leadership instability on 30 December 2013:

I'd like to be Man of the Year, even if it is no more than an award from a Herald reader, Lyn McGrath, of Bilambil Heights, and even if she has set the bar very low. Having revealed that I make my wife breakfast in bed and acquired pro-feminist credentials, Ms McGrath wrote to the Herald last week saying that all I have to do to be in the running for her award is to say one positive word about the ALP.

I accept the challenge. I offer two positive words: Tony Burke.

Tony Burke will be the next Labor prime minister. He is authentic, a crucial advantage in politics, and pragmatic, intelligent and decent. (I'm way over my quota here Lyn.)

However, I also point out he is, like most Labor MPs, yet another former union official and has thus not spent a day of his career in a wealth-creating business. The bulk of his career has been at public expense.

And by 4 January 2014 was lining Liberal Party ducks up in a row:

ALL governments engage in succession planning. Not necessarily in a formal sense, but the competitive juices of politics mean that ambitious individuals like to position themselves as the potential heir-apparent to the current leader, often well before their time is up.....

even if his polling numbers collapse my suspicion is that the Coalition government would not allow itself to let leadership instability dominate its time in power.

That doesn't mean that the informal positioning of ambitious future leadership candidates won't continue. Names such as Joe Hockey, Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull would all see themselves as viable alternatives to Abbott one day....

Race caller's double vision

TVN's race caller Terry Bailey had the lads at the table of knowledge in stitches on Saturday arvo. The lads, who don't mind a small wager on the nags, were counting their winnings when Bailey was calling the last race at Caulfield. 

Bailey had galloper Cosentino in the call all the way throughout the race and reckoned it finished 4th - that was rather good for the galloper, considering the gelding was first into the straight but then faded badly to finish 9th in a field of 12 in the previous race.

Australian Bureau of Meteorology's Climate Statement 2013

No matter how hard the Australian Prime Minister and Liberal-National Coalition MPs in the Abbott Government attempt to minimise the effects of climate change or deny outright the reality of global warming, the facts are increasingly evident.

http://youtu.be/ASnp8VO6n3E

* Summer 2012-2013 heat records

* Special Climate Statements
* Annual Climate Statement 2013

Quote of the Week

work is the best form of welfare

Australian Federal Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews, speaking about Abbott Government’s 

intention to tighten eligibility/reduce payment rate for the Disability Support Pension,  

ABC News, 23 Dec 2013]

Will NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione risk another heavy handed political move against Northern Rivers anti-coal seam gas protestors in 2014?

Local landowners & others prepare for the arrival of Metasco at its Rosella-1 well site in early 2014

In 2013 Magistrate David Heilpern publicly took NSW Police to task over charges laid against coal seam gas protestors at Metgasco Limited’s Glenugie site.

Does NSW Police Commissioner Scipione want the world to see more media coverage similar to this because he was persuaded to do the bidding of a coal seam gas exploration company which to date has produced not a cent in profit for its investors or the State of New South Wales and is never likely to?

The Northern Star 6 November 2013

"In this case I find myself asking what could possibly be the reason for continuing on with such an innocuous charge in these circumstances? Why else would police risk cost orders against them, drive a prosecutor up from Sydney to run the matters, arrange police witnesses to travel from Sydney, all for an innocuous minor traffic matter. "It is in that context that the realistic suspicion of political interference arises," he said.....

Metgasco Limited is a mining exploration company which after fourteen years still has no social contract with local communities on the NSW North Coast, a spotty safety record and an unhappy shareholder base.

Clarence Valley Council management's 2013 missteps follow it into the new year

Letter to the Editor in The Daily Examiner, 30 December 2013, Page 12:

Ranger out of range

It seems the position left vacant when the senior ranger was wrongfully dismissed by Clarence Valley Council is to be filled, but the position will now be based in Grafton instead of Maclean. It seems an odd decision given that the work load for the rangers is centred in the Lower Clarence and very much focuses on holidaymakers and tourists attracted to the Coast. There are a lot of questions begging answers from the council, but it seems even our elected councillors are being stonewalled. So who does the ratepayer go to for a response? "The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable." (James Madison.)

John Catesby

Maclean

John Catesby is not letting go as he pens another letter (below) concerning Clarence Valley Council management’s expensive back down before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission in Smith v Clarence Valley Council, which was settled out of court presumably before any evidence was presented or argument heard.

Before that day at Murwillumbah Court House had ended rumour was circulating in legal circles that Smith was to be reinstated as a council employee.

This would mean that Clarence Valley Council will now be employing two persons in a similar salary range – with one new person to undertake senior ranger duties and the other to possibly twiddle his thumbs all day on full pay.

The Lies Abbott Tells - Part Eight

The first day of the new year saw Tony Abbott at it again - turning the truth on its head.

THE LIE

Prime Minister's New Year Message 1 January 2014:

I will also start the conversation about a constitutional referendum to recognise the first Australians. This would complete our Constitution rather than change it.   

THE TRUTH    

Despite the mainstream media being encouraged to take a position that Abbott is 'reviving' the push for recognition and reporting that the Government has promised to put forward a draft amendment by September but has not set a timeframe for a referendum, the Prime Minister actually has no choice but to begin this so-called conversation in 2014.

Gillard Government legislation, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013 (assented to on 27 March 2013 and administered by Prime Minister and Cabinet), requires the Abbott Government to review constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, consider proposals for constitutional change and identify those proposals most likely to obtain the support of the Australian people - commencing this process no later than 26 March 2014 and completing it no later than September 2014.

Sections 4 and 5 of the Act:

4  Review of support for a referendum to amend the Constitution

             (1)  The Minister must cause a review to commence within 12 months after the commencement of this Act.

             (2)  Those undertaking the review must:

                     (a)  consider the readiness of the Australian public to support a referendum to amend the Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and

                     (b)  consider proposals for constitutional change to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples taking into account the work of:

                              (i)  the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and

                             (ii)  Reconciliation Australia; and

                     (c)  identify which of those proposals would be most likely to obtain the support of the Australian people; and

                     (d)  consider the levels of support for amending the Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples amongst:

                              (i)  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and

                             (ii)  the wider Australian public; and

                            (iii)  the Governments of the States and Territories; and

                     (e)  give the Minister a written report of the review at least 6 months prior to the day this Act ceases to have effect.

             (3)  The Minister must cause a copy of the report of the review to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the day the report is given to the Minister.

5  Sunset provision

                   This Act ceases to have effect at the end of 2 years after its commencement.

Note:          The 2 year sunset period in this section will provide Parliament and the Australian people with a date by which to consider further the readiness of Australians to approve a referendum to amend the Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

                                                                                             
Background

The Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians Final Report was informed by over 3,000 submissions from organisations, groups and individuals.

The following are its principal recommendations:

First NSW King Tide Of 2014 Today: what does the shoreline of your coastal town or village look like?

Coffs Creek, Coffs Harbour at a 2.1 metre tide level

Witness King Tides asks coastal communities around Australia to head out and snap pics of the coast when king tides hit. These photos capture what our communities may look like in the future, as global sea levels rise. Together, these images build a picture of the threat posed by sea level rise across Australia and help track the future impact of climate change. [http://www.witnesskingtides.org/]

Update

The 2 January tide causes mild flooding Holbeach Avenue in Tempe. Photo: Nick Moir

ABC NEWS: South Arm Highway in Tasmania

Boathouse cafe at Elizabeth Bay, Sydney NSW

McCready's Creek, Slade Point, Queensland

Call to update existing privacy and human rights law to reflect modern surveillance technologies and techniques

In June 2013 the Australian Government stated its intention to join the Open Government Partnership (OGP).

On 17 December 2013 a letter signed by more than 100 organisations and individuals was sent to all OGP governments regarding the transparency of global mass surveillance.

One has to wonder if the Abbott Government intends to join the OGP on schedule in April 2014, given that this organisation was established to provide an international platform for domestic reformers committed to making their governments more open, accountable, and responsive to citizens and Australian security organizations are implicated in the concerns set out in the following letter:

17 December 2013

To the Co-Chairs of the Open Government Partnership

Hon. Kuntoro Mangkusubroto 

Hon. Alejandra Lagunes 

Ms. Suneeta Kaimal 

Mr. Rakesh Rajani 

 

Cc: Jourdan Hussein, Ania Calderón Mariscal; OGP Steering Committee members; OGP members   

Statement of Concern on Disproportionate Surveillance 

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, affirm our deep commitment to the goals of the Open Government Partnership,which in its declaration endorsed "more transparent,accountable,responsive effective government," founded on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

We join other civil society organisations, human rights groups, academics and ordinary citizens in expressing our grave concern over allegations that governments around the world, including many OGP members, have been routinely intercepting and retaining the private communications of entire populations, in secret, without particularised warrants and with little or no meaningful oversight. Such practices allegedly include the routine exchange of "foreign" surveillance data, bypassing domestic laws that restrict governments' ability to spy on their own citizens. 

These practices erode the checks and balances on which accountability depends, and have a deeply chilling effect on freedom of expression, information and association, without which the ideals of open government have no meaning. 

As Brazil's President, DilmaRousseff, recently said at the United Nations, "In the absence of the right to privacy, there can be no true freedom of expression and opinion, and therefore no effective democracy." Activities that restrict the right to privacy, including communications surveillance, can only be justified when they are prescribed by law, are necessary to achieve a legitimate aim, and are proportionate to the aim pursued.

Without firm legislative and judicial checks on the surveillance powers of the executive branch, and robust protections for the media and public interest whistleblowers, as outlined in the Tshwane Principles, abuses can and will occur.  We call on all governments, and specifically OGP members, to: 

* recognise the need to update understandings of existing privacy and human rights law to reflect modern surveillance technologies and techniques.

* commit in their OGP Action Plans to complete by October 2014 a review of national laws, with the aim of defining reforms needed to regulate necessary, legitimate and proportional State involvement in communications surveillance; to guarantee freedom of the press; and to protect whistleblowers who lawfully reveal abuses of state power.

* commit in their OGP Action Plans to transparency on the mechanisms for surveillance, on exports of surveillance technologies, aid directed towards implementation of surveillance technologies, and agreements to share citizen data among states.

SIGNED:

International and regional organisations

1. ACCESS Info Europe 2. Africa Freedom of Information Centre 3. Alianza Regional por la Libre Expresión e Información 4. ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression 5. Centre for Law and Democracy 6. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) 7. CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation 8. Global Integrity 9. Global Network Initiative 10. HIVOS 11. Oxfam International 12. Privacy International 13. World Wide Web Foundation National organisations 1. Access to Information Programme, Bulgaria 2. Acción Ciudadana, Guatemala 3. Active Citizen, Ireland 4. Africa Center for Open Governance, Kenya 5. AktionFreiheitstatt Angst e.V. (Freedom Not Fear), Germany 6. Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa, South Africa 7. Association EPAS, Romania 8. Asociación para una Sociedad Más Justa, Honduras 9. Bolo Bhi, Pakistan 10. Brazilian Society for Knowledge Management (SBGC) 11. Center for Effective Government, USA 12. Center for Independent Journalism, Romania 13. Center for Peace Studies, Croatia 14. Center for Public Interest Advocacy, Bosnia Herzegovina 15. Centro Internacional para Investigaciones en Derechos Humanos, Guatemala 16. Centro for Public Integrity, Mozambique 17. Centrum Cyfrowe Projekt, Poland 18. Charity & Security Network, USA 19. Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Nigeria 20. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), USA 21. Citizens United to Promote Peace & Democracy in Liberia 22. Corruption Watch, UK 23. DATA, Uruguay 24. Defending Dissent Foundation, USA 25. Democracy Watch, Canada 26. Digital Courage, Germany 27. Digital Rights Foundation, Pakistan 28. Diritto Di Sapere, Italy 29. e-Governance Academy, Estonia 30. East European Development Institute, Poland 31. Economic Research Center, Azerbaijan 32. Federal Accountability Initiative For Reform, Canada 33. Foundation Open Society (FOSM), Macedonia 34. Foundation for Science and Liberal Arts Domus Dorpatensis, Estonia 35. Freedom of Information Center, Armenia 36. Freedom of Information Forum, Austria (FOIAustria) 37. Freedom of Information Foundation, Russia 38. Fundar, Center for Research and Analysis, Mexico 39. GESOC, Mexico 40. Global Human Rights Communications, India 41. GodlyGlobal.org, Switzerland 42. GONG, Croatia 43. Hong Kong In-Media, Hong Kong 44. Hungarian Civil Liberties Union 45. Independent Journalism Center, Moldova 46. INESC, Brazil 47. Initiative für Netzfreiheit, Austria 48. Institute for Democracy 'Societas Civilis'-Skopje (IDSCS), Macedonia 49. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, Georgia 50. Instituto Mexicano para la Competitividad A.C., Mexico 51. International Records Management Trust, UK 52. Integrity Action, UK 53. IT for Change, India 54. Iuridicum Remedium, Czech Republic 55. Media Rights Agenda, Nigeria 56. Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (Association for the Empowerment of Workers and Peasants), India 57. NATO Watch, UK 58. Obong Denis Udo-Inyang Foundation, Nigeria 59. OneWorld – Platform for Southeast Europe (OWPSEE), Europe 60. openDemocracy.net, UK 61. Open Democracy Advice Centre, South Africa 62. Open Australia Foundation 63. Open Government Institute, Moldova 64. Open Ministry, Finland 65. Open the Government.org, USA 66. Open Knowledge Finland 67. Open Knowledge Foundation, UK 68. Open Knowledge Foundation Ireland 69. Open Rights Group, UK 70. Paradigm Initiative, Nigeria 71. Paraguayan Association of Information Technology Law, Paraguay 72. Philippines Internet Freedom Alliance 73. Privacy and Access Council of Canada — Conseil du Canada de l'Accès et la vie Privée 74. PRO Media, Macedonia 75. PROETICA PERU 76. Programa Estudiantil Juventud Siglo XXI, Mexico 77. Project on Government Oversight, USA 78. Public Concern at Work, UK 79. Public Virtue Institute, Indonesia 80. Publish What You Pay Indonesia 81. Request Initiative, UK 82. Sahkar Social Welfare Association, Pakistan 83. Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), University of Ottawa 84. Shaaub for Democracy Culture Foundation, Iraq 85. Social Research and Development Center, Yemen 86. Soros Foundation Romania, Romania 87. Stati Generali dell'Innovazione, Italy 88. TEDIC, Paraguay 89. Transparencia por Colombia 90. Transparency International Armenia 91. Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina 92. Transparency International Indonesia 93. Transparency International Ireland 94. Transparency International Macedonia 95. Transparency International Mongolia 96. Transparency International Switzerland 97. Unwanted Witness, Uganda 98. Water Governance Institute (WGI), Uganda 99. Whistleblowers Network, Germany 100. Youth Advocate Program International, Inc, USA 101. Zenu Network, Cameroon

Individuals

1. Aruna Roy, Founder, MKSS India and member of India's National Advisory Council 2. Tim Berners-Lee 3. Vinod Rai, Former Comptroller and Auditor General, India 4. Rebecca MacKinnon 5. Satbir Singh, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and Co- Chair, South Asian Right to Information Advocates Network 6. David Eaves 7. Dissanayake Dasanayaka 8. Dwight E. Hines, Ph.D 9. Ernesto Bellisario 10. Nikhil Dey 11. Petru Botnaru 12. Shankar Singh 13. Sowmya Kidambi 14. TH Schee 15. Jacques Le Roux 16. Andrei Sambra 17. Christophe Dupriez 18. Sanjana Hattotuwa 19. Morgan Marquis-Boire 20. Bouziane Zaid 21. Pehr Mårtens 22. Matthew Landauer 23. Simon Ontoyin 24. Yinglee Tseng 25. Sonigitu Ekpe 26. Frank van Harmelen 27. Phil Coates 28. Josefina Aguilar 29. Juned Sonido 30. Fatima Cambronero 31. Jonathan Hipkiss 32. Lucie Perrault 33. Bouziane Zaid 34. Per Martens 35. Simon Ontoyin 36. Morgan Marquis-Boire 37. Leila Nachawati 38. Gbenga Sesan 39. Mohamed El Gohary 40. D.M. Dissanayake 41. Sana Saleem 42. Renata Avila Pinto 43. Carolina Rossini 44. Phil Longhurst 45. Mark Townsend 46. Badouin Schombe 47. Sarah Copeland 48. Jelena Heštera 49. Brian Leekley 50. Katrin Verclas 51. Ian David 52. Judyth Mermelstein 53. Anna Myers 54. Knut Gotfredsen 55. Daniele Pitrolo 56. Nick Herbert 57. Eliana Quiroz 58. Ion Ghergheata 59. Mark Hughes 60. Elena Tudor 61. Thomas C. Ellington 62. Susan Ariel Aaronson, Ph.D. 63. Peter Gunther 64. Mark Charles Rosenzweig 65. Panthea Lee 66. Douglas Redding 67. Mark Wilhelmi 68. C. Worth 69. Sriram Sharma 70. Ben Huser 71. Zach Ross 72. Albo P Fossa 73. Ian Tolfrey 74. Jay Campbell 75. Beth Alexander 76. Crisman Richards 77. Jorge Luis Sierra 78. Linda Strasberg 79. Mawaki Chango, Ph.D. 80. Giang Dang 81. Nica Dumlau 82. Walter Keim 83. Tur-Od Lkhagvajav 84. Dr. Mridula Ghosh 85. Anthony Barnett 86. Christian Heise 87. Eduardo Vergara Lope de la Garza 88. Neide De Sordi  

******************Happy New Year 2014******************