The Australian Libertarian Society is looking for people willing to help out in the running of our organisation. We are looking for people who can help in the following areas:

1. “Webguy” — help to maintain the ALS websites (www.libertarian.org.au and www.alsblog.net).

2. “Blogger” — write articles for the ALS blog.

3. “Coordinator” — maintain or set up other ALS projects.

4. “Editor” — edit ALS writing for a newsletter or other publication.

5. “Secretary” — manage an ALS membership database.

Last November, the International Society for Individual Liberty (ISIL) took over Laissez Faire Books (LFB) — the long-time top libertarian bookseller. If you don’t know about the ISIL or LFB then go have a look. And if you want a book about freedom, support the libertarian movement by buying at LFB.

For the 2007 Australian federal election, the ALS gave its support to the Liberty and Democracy Party (LDP).

The LDP have existed since 2001 (originally called “Liberal Democratic Party”) but were only federally registered in 2007. This was their first federal election campaign, making the LDP the first libertarian party to run for Australian partliament since the demise of the Workers Party in the 1970s.

They ran 61 candidates across Australia (the 8th biggest ticket) and campaigned on tax cuts, civil liberties and small government. The final result was an average 0.4% in the House of Representatives and about 0.2% in the Senate.

There will be a libertarian dinner in Canberra on Saturday 6 January 2007 open to all libertarians.

The dinner is being organised by Chris Texter and will be held at Hog’s Breath Cafe (Corrina st, Woden) at 7:00pm. If you would like to attend please RSVP to me by e-mail (john.humphreys99@gmail.com) or phone (0404 044561) ASAP.

The activities page of the ALS website has been updated to provide information about the main areas of interest for the ALS. Activities include:

* Involvement in politics — The ALS has supported candidates at previous State and Federal elections and provides information on the policies of Australian political parties.

* Kyoto campaign — The ALS continues to challenge the global warming fear-mongers in their calls for drastic and costly government action.

* Libertarian dinners — The ALS helps coordinates regular libertarian dinners around the country. For details of upcoming dinners check the ‘ALS News’.

* Economic reform – The ALS wants radical economic reform away from an over-taxed over-regulated economy and towards free trade, free markets and low tax.

* Peace project — The ALS rejects the huge assault on our freedoms committed in the name of war.

* Defending individual rights — The ALS supports an individual’s right to choose their own lifestyle, including choices on alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, shooting, gambling, life, abortion and sexual preferences. The ALS supports civil liberties, including freedom of speech and the right to privacy.

There will be a libertarian dinner in Sydney on Saturday 16 December 2006 open to all libertarians.

The dinner is being organised by Jason Soon and will be held at Una’s restaurant (340 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst) at 6:30pm. Likely attendees include skepticlawyer (aka Helen Dale), Jason Soon, c8to (aka Tom Vogelgesang), Terje Petersen, David Leyonhjelm, Michael Sutcliffe, John Humphreys and more.

Following the dinner there is a blogger night out open to all attendees (libertarian or not) at the Clock Hotel (470 Crown Street, Surry Hills). Jason has provided details of the post-dinner “blogbash”.

The links page for the ALS has been updated. The goal of the ALS is to have a comprehensive list of Australian libertarian links so that we offer a central on-line portal to the Australian libertarian world on the web. Towards that goal, if you know of any Australian libertarian links that we have missed, please get in contact.

The updated links page has three sections — libertarian groups, libertarian politics and libertarian blogs. In addition, we have provided some international libertarian links.

The website of the ALS is going through a major make-over at the moment. The current website can still be accessed at www.libertarian.org.au, but at the same time we are working on the new look site here at www.australianlibertarian.wordpress.com.

There is no need to adjust your links. Once the new site is fully operational and the bugs have been ironed out then we will make the final move and www.libertarian.org.au will take you to the new site.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the new look ALS then please get in contact.

Four significant libertarian bloggers have agreed to be associated with the new ALS blog Thoughts on Freedom, though not all will be regular contributors.

Popular Western Australia bloggers Sam Ward (aka Yobbo) and Steve Edwards have been added to the list of staff writers, while they continue to maintain their own blogs — A Yobbo’s View and The Raving Wingnut.

Former blogger Chris Vinall (aka chrisv) has also come on board and has contributed a number of posts.

The most recent addition has been Canberra libertarian blogger Chris Textor (aka Tex) who also continues to maintain his personal blog Whackingday. Tex’s introductory ALS post can be seen here.

In discussions between ALS Director (John Humphreys) and the editor of libertarian group blog ‘Thoughts on Freedom’ (Sukrit Sabhlok) it was decided to merge the two blogs in an effort to pool resources and create a larger and more effective libertarian voice in the blogosphere.

The new blog will be known as ‘Thoughts on Freedom: the official blog of the Australian Libertarian Society’ and will shift to a new URL: www.alsblog.wordpress.com

Previous ALS blog contributors such as John Humphreys, Terje Petersen and Mark Hill (aka Another Bloody Libertarian) have already shifted over to the new blog to combine with previous ToF contributors Sukrit Sabhlok, Helen Dale (aka skepticlawyer) and Rafe Champion.