The Queensland Council for Civil Liberties is a voluntary organisation concerned with the protection of individual rights and civil liberties. Their aims are to be vigilant in matters affecting civil liberties and to seek solutions to problems related to civil liberties. Their slogan is: 'Who's watching them while they're watching you?'. QCCL began with a committee formed by staff from the University of Queensland. They convened a meeting on 20 June 1966 to discuss their concerns with the erosion of civil liberties during demonstrations that year regarding the Vietnam War. Not long after the formation of the Council, a dispute about alleged left-wing control and the intrusion of other political and sectarian influences led to the temporary formation of a Queensland Association for Civil Liberties. However, the Council was reformed following a private meeting held on 18 October 1966, where a draft constitution was adopted and nine members were elected to a provisional executive committee, of which six were associated with the University of Queensland.

Objectives - To be vigilant in matters affecting the rights and liberties of the individual particularly in Queensland; to advise and assist individuals whose rights or liberties are improperly threatened; to collect information on rights and liberties and to disseminate such information; to raise official standards of vigilance in the protection of individual rights and liberties; to study civil liberty laws and press for forward solutions; to encourage public interest in civil liberties.

Publicists - F.D.O. Fielding, J. Hampson, J.B. Kelly, T.P. O'Gorman [Terry O'Gorman], L.R. Smith, L.P. Wyvill.

Derek Fielding was James Forsyth Librarian, University of Queensland, 1965-1992, and Pro-Vice Chancellor, Academic Services, University of Queensland, 1992-1994. He was President of the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties, 1975-1979. For a detailed biography see his obituary in Fryer Folios, 9 1: 26-27 in eSpace.