Is Australia going backwards?

[Desert Dweller]

During the Prime Ministership of the current PM, John Howard (first elected 1996) the image of Australia appears to have been seriously marred during the "Tampa" Affair and subsequent detention of asylum seekers. Once viewed as tolerant and open,the country became viewed as hostile to alylum seekers who were named 'illegals immigrants' by the Government.

Now new legislation dealing with Terrorist Laws threatens to make Australia one of the most draconian of modern western nations. At this stage the Bill must pass through the Senate for ratification to become law.
In essense the law (if ratified) will permit secret police (ASIO) to detain and hold for up to 14 days without charge, phone call, representation any individual; and also to apply ankle bracelets for up to a year. Those detained may not advertise their detention and for instance a parent of a detained person may not inform the other parent.

Do you think this level of loss of individual liberty is justified by terrorist threats? Or do you think it is overkill and the thin edge of a fascist wedge?

[BigBlue2]

Originally Posted by Desert Dweller

Do you think this level of loss of individual liberty is justified by terrorist threats? Or do you think it is overkill and the thin edge of a fascist wedge?

Of course it's overkill. The anti-terror laws won't stop a terrorist attack if a terror organisation is determined enough and intelligent enough to carry one out. There is no way that these laws will prevent an attack on Sydney's rail system, for example. The only thing these laws will do is ruin the lives of innocent people when ASIO fucks things up as they inevitably will. These laws are over the top, authoritarian, divisive and totally unnecessary. But that's what we get for giving the same party control of both Houses of Parliament, not having a Bill of Rights and having a piss-weak opposition.