Terror Laws:

Temporary Victory over the draconian Terror Laws - Senate vote delayed to at least June 17.

It is with a big (but temporary) sigh of relief that I report that because of the huge numbers of protests Australian politicians received from the public via e-mail, phone, fax and in person, the Senate was not able to debate the Terror Laws on May 14. Labor Party Senate leader John Faulkner, the man responsible for presenting Labor's position, said "I - like most of my fellow members of parliament - have received thousands of emails... not one that I received supported the bill." So a big GOOD ON YOU to everyone reading this who took action and lobbied the politicians.

But It's not certainly over yet! We just have a little more time.

The next time the Senate meets is on June 17. So it is not over yet - it just means we have an extra month to really get the message out to people and to the politicians. To tell them that we don't want Australia to have laws that you would expect in totalitarian dictatorships. If that sounds over the top - then read on below for more as to what will change when these laws are in place. You will likely be scared, horrified and angry. These laws will exterminate fundamental democratic rights that took thousands of years for humanity to achieve.

These laws will quite likely end democracy and liberty in Australia, forever. This is the most serious issue facing Australians.

The wide undefined provisions in the terror laws can be made to mean almost anything and entrap almost anybody,. They can potentially be used by the state to selectively target political adversaries and freedom fighters; which is to the detriment of all Australians. Under these laws Australia will potentially become quite oppressive, with any organisation that opposes Government tyranny and corruption easily branded "terrorist", it's members imprisoned and their property confiscated by the state.

What a way to eliminate political opponents.

If enacted into law Australians will have:

One person (The Attorney General) or their proposed "compromise" of a handful of politicians, who will be able to ban organisations - with the result that all members of those organisations are imprisoned for 25 years; (look out if you're a member of a union or any other community group who has opposed Government policy.)
Arrest and imprisonment without warrant, or even any evidence required, for 48 hour periods (which can be renewed again and again)
Denial of solicitor - you will have NO right to legal representation nor to communicate with anyone you know.
Imprisonment for 5 years just for exercising your (current) right to remain silent.
Confiscation of property (house/business) without even charges being laid, confiscation remains even after aquittal ie. your life will still be ruined.
People declared terrorist for almost any common daily activity: the definition of "terrorist" is so broad. Please see the article "Are You a Terrorist?".
Assumed Guilty until you prove yourself innocent, ie. this is a reversal of our right to innocent until proven guilty.
Secret courts, with the public excluded and supression of all court reporting.
Information of any kind can be used against you, whether true or false, whether in material form or not, and includes (a) an opinion (b) a report or conversation. This will make inquisitions and scapegoating rampant throughout Australia.
Your right to not self incriminate is gone, if you do not "produce a record or thing", bye bye for 5 years, and if 5 years later you still do not (or cannot), bye bye for another 5 years, and so on forever.
If a person commits an act that is considered "prejudicial" to the Commonwealth, it is life imprisonment (ALL of it), predudical appears to mean as in prejudicial to politicians or bureaucracy. This letter might be considered as prejudicial to Prime Minister John Howard (the Commonwealth) because it exposes his treachery. I am a terrorist under these laws, I wonder if prison is still 5 star accomodation. Hmmmm, probably only for criminals, not terrorists like me and other political researchers.
"Soundings" is an offence... don't mark your map with a cross or anything because that's defined as a sounding..

In other words, they attempt to destroy Constitution and Common-law, as well as every Liberty and every right Australians have held dear and taken for granted

THIS WILL COME TO PASS, UNLESS, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US SPREADS THE WORD AND LOBBIES THE POLITICIANS.

These laws make it very easy for authorities to detain thousands of innocent Australians, frame them and lock them away for any crime that needs to be solved. Let the case of Dr. Timothy Anderson who was framed by ASIO for the 1978 bombing of the Hilton Hotel, and who was locked away for 7 years before being cleared of charges and released, be a warning to every Australian. The difference being that under these new laws it is very unlikely you will ever get a chance for appeal.

The Howard government is using the terror scares in the USA to provoke fear and hysteria here, to divide the community and enact almost unbelievably oppressive laws. They have shown their true colours.

REMEMBER, that the Labor Party was all set to vote with the Howard Government to introduce these laws, which legal experts have criticised as totally unnecessary as existing law more than adequately deals with terrorist offences. However, it WAS ONLY BECAUSE OF PUBLIC OUTRAGE that Labor Senators plus many Liberal backbenchers fell out of line with their parties and the vote was delayed until June 17.

What needs to be done ASAP:

visit http://www.blatantpropaganda.com (ie. this web-page) to obtain the updated e-mail lists of all politicians, plus links to their phone numbers - and use them to...
Keep lobbying the politicians. Especially the Labor Senators as their vote will decide this matter. Tell them that you will not vote for their party ever again if they pass any fragment of these laws. Make clear to them that you believe the Australian people will abandon them if they abandon us.
Visit http://www.topica.com/lists/TerrorLaws/read for updated news each day.
Write letters to all media you can protesting these laws to raise community awareness.
We need large public rallies - get involved. Contact all actvist groups you know of (from Greenpeace and Amnesty International through to indigenous groups, DSP/Resistance/Green Left, IndyMedia groups and the like) and ask/urge them to unite and do something public about stopping these laws - because most possibly, once these laws are passed - eventually these groups will be branded "terrorist" and it's members imprisoned.

Article by j. citizen of blatant propaganda.