Australia is in the midst of a discussion about new proposed anti-terror laws, which, as I have noted earlier, will give police and security organisations more power to detain (without charge) persons 'suspected' (by whom, on what grounds?) of being involved in terrorist activity. All this without any real judicial oversight and with any number of implications for media organisations and the freedom of the press. To note merely one of the more idiotic aspects of the proposed legislation, a young person detained by authorities may tell one of his or her parents. That parent may NOT tell the other parent, on pain of imprisonment. Charming.
I'm of the opinion that democracy is about proscribing the powers of the authorities, especially those that are essentially an arm of government, that do its bidding. Giving cops and spooks extra powers is rarely a good idea given their generally dismal performance. But I guess this makes life just a little kushier for them. Now they wont even have to gather information or investigate, just form some half-assed hunch about who might might be a terrorist of fellow-traveller.
I see a few threats to Australia's security, but unfortunately mostly these are elected representatives who no doubt have more than covered themselves by drafting the new laws. Suspect number one, the Prime Minister, whose reckless foreign adventurism at the behest of his American masters has made Australia a greater target for terrorists. Take a bow, you arch hypocrite.
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