Guarding us from the laws that guard us - Australia/Terrorism
Petro Georgiou; 17/3/08
Yes, we need laws to fight terror, but we must also protect our rights. Since the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001, the Australian Parliament has enacted more than 30 laws dealing with terrorism. With bipartisan support, the legislature has agreed that protecting Australians from terrorism demands exceptional restrictions on civil liberties, such as freedom of speech and freedom of association. Offences and procedures have been established which depart significantly from traditional criminal law principles and practices. For example, the attorney-general has been given power to “list” organisations as being involved in terrorism. This means that membership and support of these organisations are criminalised, ASIO can detain people for interrogation and those suspected of terrorist involvement may be subjected to control orders and preventive detention. There has been considerable debate in the Parliament and the community about the necessity for, and desirability of, such measures. And, while Parliament has given its imprimatur, it has not always been unanimous and often there have been considerable reservations.