Several Australian states have recently moved towards establishing 'Anti-bikie' laws aimed at restricting the criminal activities of rebel motorcycle gangs. New South Wales is the latest state to pass bikie laws which, amongst other things, include potential jail terms for bikie gang members associating with one another.
The NSW anti-bikie laws has been opposed by civil libertarians, academics, journalists and the general public with many concerned that the laws may not be simply used against bikie gangs but could be used against any sort of organisation, including political activists or pressure groups. If this is the case these laws pose a serious threat to the freedom and liberties of all Australians with the government having the potential to target and effectively outlaw groups that may oppose or criticise government activities. When coupled with the federal governments proposed Internet filter scheme, which would effectively 'black list' Internet sites deemed inappropriate by the government (although the public would not have access to a list of these black listed sites), it appears that the basic rights of freedom of speech and information in Australia are under real threat.
Is Australia heading toward a world like that that so famously portrayed by George Orwell in '1984'? Only time will tell.
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Well said! Intolerance is probably the greatest threat to individual liberties around.
ReplyDeletePoliticians like to play on our tendency to fear something different or strange, start discriminating against bikers in black leather and revving engines and end with CCTV cameras on every corner and a press that only publishes what the Government wants!
I couldn't agree more!
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