Government's counter-terrorism laws a step too far with little scrutiny

[slothpomba]

Government's counter-terrorism laws a step too far with little scrutiny

As an expression of the palpable mistrust that has seized the nation as it grapples with the resurgence of terrorism, there could not have been a more powerful symbol.

Just a day after it passed the first of three tranches of counter-terrorism laws that will restrict the liberties of Australians in the name of improved security, the national parliament on Thursday delivered an edict to place Muslim women wearing a face covering behind glass in the House and Senate chambers.

The proposal, which the Prime Minister says will be reviewed, is absurd as a security measure. For an incredulous Muslim community, it represented something altogether more menacing, further proof that they were being targeted.

....

Rauf is one of many from a broad section of legal experts and community leaders concerned that government is rushing through fundamental curbs to our freedoms in a climate of fear, and with little scrutiny.

"There are very important objectives to balance - civil liberties and national security," he says. "It requires careful consideration. Instead they have been rushed."

....

"What we are talking about here is a significant invasion of privacy and restrictions of freedom of expression and freedom of movement."

This week saw the passage of legislation that will give the Australian Security intelligence Organisation new powers to conduct "special intelligence operations", where agents will be permitted to break the law and journalists, whistleblowers and others will be penalised with up to 10 years in prison if they reveal any aspect of them.

Penalties have also been increased for disclosing the identity of intelligence agents from one year to 10 years.

.....

Meanwhlie, ASIO will only need one warrant to spy on networks of computers, which some intepret to mean the entire internet.

"That could be to really any device that's connected to the internet,"  says Stephen Blanks of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties. "[Intelligence agencies] will access information concerning people who are not suspected of any wrongdoing."

[slothpomba]

In my view, this is a massive overreach of government power and it is totally unnecessary. Falls from ladders alone have killed double the amount of Australians in 1/3rd of the time compared to terrorist incidents, i think its time we declare war on ladders and start to spy on Bunnings.


(Source: "A rational fear")

Once a right is given up, it is extremely hard to claw it back, history has shown us this time and time again. Under these news laws, one warrant allows spying on an unlimited number of computers, even if they belong to people who are totally innocent. One warrant could target everyone in an apartment block, innocent or not. One warrant could target every single person in a university, innocent or not. In theory, one single warrant could cover an entire ISP or the internet. I like many Australians find this kind of thing deeply offensive.

Furthermore, this law legalises the jailing of journalists, how insane is that? Anything ASIO operation declared a special operation (by ASIO themselves) will now be illegal to report on. So much for journalistic oversight of the government and an informed populace.

What disgusts me the most is that the ALP (Labor) waved these changes through. They just rolled over and took them. They didn't ask for any additional reasonable protections or amendments. The Greens were the only major party to speak out against it. They proposed a modest 10 computer limit per warrant, this is a useful bulwark against dragnet surveillance. After many wounds, this is the end of the ALP for me. I'm shocked about how easily they rolled over, all in a cynical "small target" strategy to win the election.


(Source: "Stop The Spies")

[slothpomba]

Brandis has also been absolutely obstinate in his refusal to clarify the bill or what it means. This dialogue is so cringe-worthy because it's like he's talking to a brick wall...

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy_UXPy2Q5o&list=UUExNRjztVKtVu1CNzPpIFCQ)