Re: Australia becomes a police state [serious]

[Grant Bayley <gbayley () ausmac net>]

> Sounds like Queensland pre Wayne Goss. I got in a _lot_ of trouble with
> the Special Branch in those days. They had those sort of powers, the
> only recourse you had was that if they tore your house/gear apart 3
> times in 6 months without an arrest you could go them for harrassment.
> Typically I'd get raided, then again in 3 months, then again in 3 months
> and 1 day. We could predict the _exact_ day we'd be raided, as they made
> a point of not having 3 raids within any 6 month period.
>
> Silvio Cesare wrote:
>
> > Hello..
> >
> > A bill was passed last night in Australia, enabling a "lawful" NSW
> > police state (http://www.sydney.indymedia.org).
> >
> > If i am in a designated "target area", I may be raided
> > as I type, the person raiding me need not identify themselves. I may
> > be strip searched, my possesions may be seized and disposed..
> >
> > If i resist, I may be imprisoned for 2 years..
> >
> > At this point in time.. I've decided the only course of action is to
> > go back to Sydney, and voice some political dissent - for a police
> > state is not the Australia I know, or wish to be part of.

<OT>

Umm.  Not to rain on your Indymedia-inspired parade, Silvio, but have
you read the legislation, or any of the discussions in parliament
surrounding it?  Or have you only read the hyperbolic predictions of doom
that Indymedia agitators have made?  The single key point that seems to
be missing in Indymedia forums postings as of early this morning when I
last checked is that these powers are only intended to be invoked in
the event of a terrorist attack on the State.  Not for random
harrassment of random ethnic groups, raids on J Random Hacker, or raids
on political agitators.  Nor will graphing the local courthouse cause
these laws to be invoked.

Please, read the legislation itself, and the parliamentary discussion,
then comment.

It makes no sense to do otherwise, surely?

I'm still not sure why this is on full-disclosure, though...

Grant

</OT>
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