Comments on: The US Government is Unhinged http://www.matthewriddle.com/2006/11/03/the-us-government-is-unhinged/ Home is Australia, but I'm currently living and working in the UK. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:58:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: dogpossum http://www.matthewriddle.com/2006/11/03/the-us-government-is-unhinged/#comment-42 dogpossum Fri, 15 Dec 2006 00:33:46 +0000 http://www.matthewriddle.com/?p=129#comment-42 Things are no better in Australia. I heard a few really disturbing papers about the anti-terror legislation and specific case studies at a conference in Canberra this week past. <br />Under the 'anti-terror' legislation you can be held without charges for up to a week. And then indefinitely. You do not have a right to know what you are charged with. If you do find out exactly what you're charged with, you can only present evidence in your defence at your trial if it has been approved by the court. It may be disapproved without explanation. You can be held under house arrest (and forbidden to contact anyone - even family) indefinitely.<br /><br />And so on and so on and so on. It's frightening stuff to read. And as a fellow acka commented, many of the people at the conference (including the inspiring and incredibly gentle and kind John Frow who delivered an amazing lecture on this topic) will have files maintained by ASIO. In one case study Frow discussed, a man is currently under observation (a ...'control' order I think it's called... I can't quite remember) and has been charged with ... well, something (he can't discover what) because he has 'political associations'. With the ATU and Labour party. These associations are professional, and part of his employment as a real estate agent.<br /><br />As Frow quoted this man "it's enough to drive you mad".<br /><br /><br />It is as shameful to be a part of Australia as it is to be an American if these sorts of issues concern you. And they should concern all of us. Things are no better in Australia. I heard a few really disturbing papers about the anti-terror legislation and specific case studies at a conference in Canberra this week past.
Under the ‘anti-terror’ legislation you can be held without charges for up to a week. And then indefinitely. You do not have a right to know what you are charged with. If you do find out exactly what you’re charged with, you can only present evidence in your defence at your trial if it has been approved by the court. It may be disapproved without explanation. You can be held under house arrest (and forbidden to contact anyone - even family) indefinitely.

And so on and so on and so on. It’s frightening stuff to read. And as a fellow acka commented, many of the people at the conference (including the inspiring and incredibly gentle and kind John Frow who delivered an amazing lecture on this topic) will have files maintained by ASIO. In one case study Frow discussed, a man is currently under observation (a …’control’ order I think it’s called… I can’t quite remember) and has been charged with … well, something (he can’t discover what) because he has ‘political associations’. With the ATU and Labour party. These associations are professional, and part of his employment as a real estate agent.

As Frow quoted this man “it’s enough to drive you mad”.

It is as shameful to be a part of Australia as it is to be an American if these sorts of issues concern you. And they should concern all of us.

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