Australian Media Says, "Uh-Oh"...

[Mr Manifesto]

Senate passes anti-terrorism bill (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s888276.htm)

This bill was discussed on the Australian TV show Media Watch (http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s880997.htm) (click the link for topic), which said:

George Williams urged the media to take more seriously the problems they could find themselves facing.


Like anyone else held under the law, a journalist would be detained without access to legal advice, you would be denied your right to silence, you would not have any capacity to protect your sources and indeed if as a journalist you refuse to answer questions while being detained you will be punishable by a 5 year jail term.
- George Williams’ National Press Club Address, 29 January 2003


It seems we're one step closer to the Liberal party's dream of an Australia where the media does what it's told. I trust I'm not the only Australian who's worried about this new legislation. What I can't understand is why the Labour party allowed it to pass the Senate.

[reprise]

I'm also surpised this got through the Senate.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Where is "Australia"?

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer
Where is "Australia"?

Near Germany, I think

Hitler was Australian, I think.

And the guy who plays the Terminator.

[Checkmite]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer
Where is "Australia"?

Australia is a large island off the coast of New Zealand.

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by Mr Manifesto
Senate passes anti-terrorism bill (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s888276.htm)

This bill was discussed on the Australian TV show Media Watch (http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s880997.htm) (click the link for topic), which said:


- George Williams’ National Press Club Address, 29 January 2003


It seems we're one step closer to the Liberal party's dream of an Australia where the media does what it's told. I trust I'm not the only Australian who's worried about this new legislation. What I can't understand is why the Labour party allowed it to pass the Senate. [/QUOTE]

Because they do not want to win elections. They are so scared of being accused of actually standing up for something different to the liberal party, they just do whatever John Howard wants.

It won't get them elected. Why would those who like John Howard vote for an imitiation.

[reprise]

On the plus side, they rejected the cross-media ownership bill.

[Zep]

If I had half a mind (yeah, yeah... :rolleyes: ), I'd publicly do something that would transgress this new set of laws but which would be so totally and transparently non-terrorist in nature. Then see if I would get arrested. The implications are obvious.

BTW, for our US viewers, Australia is the big island just north of Tasmania.

Zep

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by Joshua Korosi


Australia is a large island off the coast of New Zealand.

Is it, like, a country or something??

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer


Is it, like, a country or something??

It's like a little puppy dog that comes when Dubya calls.

[Ove]

On the other hand has New Zealand just passed a law that legalizes prostitution. BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3019896.stm)

I guess it is 1-0 to the Kiwi's. :)

[reprise]

Originally posted by Ove
On the other hand has New Zealand just passed a law that legalizes prostitution. BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3019896.stm)

I guess it is 1-0 to the Kiwi's. :)

Street-walking and kerb-crawling are illegal in my state, prostitution isn't.

[athon]

Originally posted by a_unique_person


It seems we're one step closer to the Liberal party's dream of an Australia where the media does what it's told. I trust I'm not the only Australian who's worried about this new legislation. What I can't understand is why the Labour party allowed it to pass the Senate.

Because they do not want to win elections. They are so scared of being accused of actually standing up for something different to the liberal party, they just do whatever John Howard wants.

It won't get them elected. Why would those who like John Howard vote for an imitiation. [/B][/QUOTE]

I think this is a weak reasoning. I'm pretty surprised at this getting through - Labour is usually quite protective of media rights, as it gets a large fraction of its votes from the left wing.

And Labour has stood up many times, almost to the point of them denying that the sky was blue if Howard declared that it was.

Athon

[reprise]

It's the Australian Labor Party, people. The Brits Have a Labour Party. :)

Sadly, I suspect that in a 17 hour sitting, most of the senators had their mind on the 6 week recess rather than the longterm consequences of the legislation on which they were voting.

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by Ove
On the other hand has New Zealand just passed a law that legalizes prostitution. BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3019896.stm)

I guess it is 1-0 to the Kiwi's. :)
Victoria also has legalised prostitution.

[athon]

Originally posted by reprise
It's the Australian Labor Party, people. The Brits Have a Labour Party. :)

Yeauh, right Reuprise. I've liuved in Auustralia for aul my liufe; I thiunk I'd know houw to spell 'Labour'.

Athoun

[Mr Manifesto]

Ever since Bobby Hawke was in power, I said the labor party was a Yankophile Commie Sympathiser party, and this just proves it.

Well, sod that, I'm calling them Labour, and if they don't like it, they can (Edited by Uncle Hal's Handy-Dandy Anti-Manifesto Swear-Screening Script 27 06 2003 11:07 AEST).

[Zep]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer
Is it, like, a country or something??
Yeah, pretty much. But we do have Mcdonalds and Subway and so on, so it's a lot like America. But we speak English though.

Zep