Australia's New Anti-Terrorist Laws

[Adora]

(X-posted to IIDB)

The current Australian government (I voted for the other guy!) is trying to pass new supposed "Anti-Terror" legislation that contains various controversial issues such as shoot-to-kill allowances for police and especially laws regarding sedition.

Mediawatch tackled the ambiguously worded sedition clauses tonight on its program, and pointed out that, because they are so vague, someone such as the journalist & filmaker John Pilger (who suggested back in 2004 he understood the mindset behind individuals who view Australian and other international military personel as occupying forces who should be attacked) could be charged, along with the program & organisation that aired the interview, with sedition.

Now, I find this disturbing, since these bills are going to do sweet fuck all in preventing terrorism, and will simply persecute those who speak out against the government - every journalist, political commentator and Australian filmaker's reason for living - when they criticise policy etc.

There's the transcript of the segment here on the ABC's Mediawatch website, which links to the relevant sedition sections of the bill in PDF form and the legal advice sought by Mediawatch from legal professionals regarding the bill.

It's good to see Mediawatch discussing this, considering many of their segments criticise the government's policies in regards to media and contradictory statements made within media communications by political leaders.

The complete and full text of the Anti-terror laws can be access here through the ACT minister John Stanhope's webpage. Makes for interesting and scary reading, if you can slog through all 107 pages.