An American peace activist is being deported by the Australian security agency. He participated in a non violent protest against the war in Iraq in Sydney and was interviewed live on Australian TV. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FA056FCE-27CD-4689-BFA6-E37EEB99ED2C.htm How's that for Freedom of Speech in Australia?
after some thought i scrapped my original reply to this. its a sad day when civillization starts on the decline and final collapse. i suppose i can only say enjoy your human rights whilst they last.
There is no freedom of speech in the australian consititiution and while australia is a signatory to International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (which allows for freedom of expression), and has passed the Human Rights Commission Act (in an attempt to appear to be incorporating international human rights law into domestic policy), so far no government has implemented the free speech provisions and therefor they are not enforceable by australian courts.
i didnt hear about this, but i have freedom of speech. i really do just try and shut me up. deported still is better than shot and i heard that they shoot random people on trains in london...
yeah, whats really funny about the australian electorate is that they think because they have a mortgage they aren't going to get raped by the government.
Ah, so I better watch what I say while I'm here, eh? Got some kind of Aussie muzzle I can wear around in public? I'll write on it "Muzzled in Australia" or some such thing. I thought the Brits had freedom of speech, and Australia is still ruled by British law to an extent, no?
In Australia we have no Bill of Rights, just the constitution. There is however, political free speech (as you would have witnessed if you've ever sat in on question time in Canberra). There is a strong argument for the adoption of an Australian Bill of Rights. This is particularly relevant now with Howards new facist terrorism legislation. The government keep using the fact that the Uk has enacted similar laws to combat terrorism, yet what they neglect to mention is the fact that the Uk also has a Bill of Rights. In Australia these laws will be passed and there are absolutely no safe guards. Unfortunately the majority of people are more concerened with football, so it's unlikely that any significant challenge will be mounted.
Actually Australian law is a combination of ideas from British and American laws but still unique to Australia. We develop our own laws without the 'say so' of Britain. Australia in terms of free speach is much like Germany for example, where it is illegal to deny the holocaust. We have what is called "The Racial Vilification Act" meaning no one is allowed to publicly defame any person(s) based on their racial background. As far as i know that is about as far as our free speach restrictions go.
LOL! Really? Coulda fooled me! So to be PC in Oz, I need to say "indigenous people" instead of any number of common invectives I hear bandied around the pubs here... Is a pub NOT a public place? Perhaps I better order more muzzles... Or perhaps those rules only apply to politicians? You Aussies really seem to get worked up over words! eh, MATE?
Political correctness has actually stifled much of the debate surrounding rights and free speech in Australia. Just out of interest Skip, which city are you living in?
Hey Skip have you heard about the defamation laws in Australia? Politicians will not change the laws because they make too much money out of defamation actions. A few years ago Stephen Mayne from www.crikey.com.au published a press release and decided to settle out of court with Sydney shock jock, Steve Price for $50,000 and another $25,000 to Labor Senator Nick Bolkus. Stephen Mayne had to sell his familky home as a result. I thought why did Steve Price not sue the publisher of the press release? A list of defamation cases here: http://www.crikey.com.au/articles/2002/12/26-defolist.html As for FOI applications, you might as well not bother.
One more thing, while I have no problem with people espressing opinions that I completly disagree with, publishing propaganda is not on IMO. I am building a website on propaganda, www.propagandafiles.hipplanet.com
Update: I hear this activist just got a bill from the Australian government for like $11,000 for the 4 days he spent locked up in jail by the police. That's pretty expensive accomodation. I hope he got some good barbie while he was incarcerated!
