Monday, September 26, 2005

total control

Tomorrow the Federal and State governments will discuss anti-terrorism laws.
As well as detention of suspects without trial, Mr Howard has asked the states and territories to support a regime of control orders that could see suspects who have never been charged being electronically tagged for periods of 12 months; wider search and seizure powers for ASIO and police; and a new crime of incitement for advocating or supporting terrorist ideology.
SMH, Sept 24 2005, Marian Wilkinson and David Marr
This looks like the state is seeking to totally control citizens' behaviour, if you don't conform you will be removed from the public sphere. If your actions and words, even your support, is conceived of by the state as being a danger to the state you run the risk of first being detained with no reason given for up to 14 days ie exiled internally, then you might be tagged and, by implication tracked, for up to 12 months.

These proposed laws strike me as being totally at odds with healthy public life. How can a person voice thoughts, discuss, question, act, and learn in public if their openness might lead to incarceration? As Matt says, the only way to combat this is for many, many people to voice thoughts, and to act.

see:
I'll back PM's terrorism laws, says Iemma www.smh.com.au, Sept 24 2005, Marian Wilkinson and David Marr
Beazley spells out anti-terror priorities www.abc.net.au, Sept 26 2005

2 Comments:

Blogger Guambat Stew said...

Indeed, how can you discuss these matters and the effects they have on violence if your insight can be cast as incite?

http://guambatstew.blogspot.com/2005/09/but-what-is-question.html
http://guambatstew.blogspot.com/2005/09/too-much-too-late.html
http://guambatstew.blogspot.com/2005/09/unrepresentative-swill-part-one.html
http://guambatstew.blogspot.com/2005/09/unrepresentative-swill-part-2.html

2:21 pm  
Blogger Adam said...

From those of us who gave up on Howard and those who vote for him - move to Spain. Failing that, keep arguing the point....oh, sorry, I forgot, this is about destroying your democractic rights. Give up and move to Spain.

8:18 am  

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