They've lost their marbles
While Scott Parkin and his legal team were denied any information as to why he was deported from Australia (http://guambatstew.blogspot.com/2005/09/sticks-stones-may-break-my-bones-but.html and http://guambatstew.blogspot.com/2005/09/bad-deportment.html), Murdoch's newshounds seemed to have some kind of inside running on the story, or maybe they were just reporting speculation as fact, or maybe they were just juxtaposing fact and fiction. Whatever, "The Australian newspaper reported that ASIO believed Mr Parkin had been planning to teach local demonstrators tactics including throwing marbles in front of police horses, and freeing protesters from police custody." (http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Ruddock-wants-evidence-of-Parkin-leak/2005/09/22/1126982162596.html)
There are three disturbing aspects to that.
First, how is it that Murdoch's paper knew what the ASIO believed, if indeed they actually did and they weren't just engaged in a little creative jounalism? Even the Attorney General, Mr Philip Ruddock, acknowledged that if ASIO secrets were "leaked" that would constitute (yet another) threat to national security (oh boy, here we go with that one again; where does it end?). "Mr Ruddock said the confidentiality of such security assessments had to be maintained, adding that the implications of such leaks posed a threat to national security and personal safety." (Id.)
But that's really just a red herring. A second and more serious issue remains, does "teaching" protestors something that we've already seen on tv reports of protests elsewhere in the world, such as spreading marbles to make it difficult for mounted police, really constitute a national security risk?! If the law says that, the law is an arse.
Well, I don't know about the law, but the Prime Minister is quite prepared to back any such judgement, evidently. Murdoch's press reports:
Labels: Australia, Civil liberties, Media madness, Terror and other frightening things
3 Comments:
The scariest aspect, of course, is how few Australians seem to care or appreciate the implications of much of what Howard is doing. Take, for example, how Howard with a wave of the hand dismissed the idea of including a sunset clause in the terrorism legislation. Or the the way he effectively neutered the Senate in order to sell-off another bit of Australia.
Although I wouldn't be surprised that Howard does allow a sunset clause. It would be a clever strategy. The critics would all believe they had won something major and breathe a sigh of relief - bottom line -- some of the most draconian legislation ever drafted will be in place ready to take care of any potential threat. (potential threat is of course underfined and undisclosed)
Throwing marbles is such a threat to national security that foreigners have to enter Australia to teach you all how to do it, right? I mean, because it takes such skill to throw marbles...
I'm hoping GetUp! might help the powerless feelings:
http://www.getup.org.au/
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