On Line Opinion, Crikey and the Hobart Mercury on issues pertaining to sport, law and politics (including the Australian federal election in 2007). Human rights In 2019, Barns told Australians to put aside their opinions of Julian Assange and consider his actions. He told the press: “At the end of the day we need to remember what is it he exposed, for which he’s been prosecuted. He revealed war crimes and he’s being punished for it.” In 2020, he called for Australians to support Assange during his extradition hearing in the UK. Barns said Assange was "facing an effective death penalty" for revealing "the war crimes of the US". Barns has made calls for Australia to adopt a Bill of Rights for the protection of its citizens and journalists. In a 2020 opinion piece published in the Mercury, he warned of the potential human rights violations that could follow public acceptance of the Australian government's COVIDSafe app. The app is intended to facilitate the contact-tracing of people who become infected with the disease, but he warns that data could be used for other purposes by other parties including police, immigration and intelligence agencies in Australia and the USA. Law reform In a 2012 article called "Australia's pointless and deadly drugs crackdown" he said "We are killing, injuring and hurting young Australians who use illicit drugs because of our irrational obsession with prohibition. It is time to stop and produce policies that actually work." Bibliography References Sources Greg Barns at onlineopinion.com.au Greg Barns at tasmanianbar.com.au "Libs push for more jail for rapists", ABC News (14 July 2008) External links Australian Prison Foundation , barristers Greg Barns and Rob Stary; from the documentary The Trial. 1962 births Living people Australian non-fiction writers 20th-century Australian lawyers Australian republicans Quarterly Essay people 21st-century Australian lawyers