Australian Politics thread [merged]

[WilliamPowell]

- people shoot / stab cops in australia  [why is a police life worth more than a non police life? personally i respectfully disagree with this law]

And please tell me where does it say in the laws of this country that the punishment for killing a police officer is greater than killing any other citizen?

Last time I checked it doesn't so what are you talking about?

Regarding media coverage of such events ever thought maybe it's because the police try to protect us, the public and that they risk their lives everyday. Could even argue moreso now with all this craziness going on

As for why was you post removed - I didn't remove it but having sat through a few mins of it; right call was made.

Sad that you have to even ask TBH

All for folks having causes and things they passionately believe in but lines need to be drawn at some point especially when it's sole purpose appears to be to offend people which is what that ridiculous doco is about

[Chuck17]

inb4 free speech rant

[Judge Roughneck]

http://i.imgur.com/ZutBLp0.jpg





pic too large, causing server issues

[dwaino]

Rolling warrants to hold suspects in custody based on nothing but circumstantial evidence for indefinite periods of time and warrants to monitor activity and seize internet records ready exist. ASIO already monitor all internet traffic without warrants using algorithms. In fact, look up the wrong stuff too long and you receive a cease and desist letter. Just carry on, if you are doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about.

If it really bothers you connect to a Russian VPN.

[Judge Roughneck]

Rolling warrants to hold suspects in custody based on nothing but circumstantial evidence for indefinite periods of time and warrants to monitor activity and seize internet records ready exist. ASIO already monitor all internet traffic without warrants using algorithms. In fact, look up the wrong stuff too long and you receive a cease and desist letter. Just carry on, if you are doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about.

If it really bothers you connect to a Russian VPN.

I read this one. I thought it was quite well worded.

I am going to base my argument on a more philosophical level on what this does to us as a society. I probably wont change your view, but I will give you another perspective on the matter.
The whole thing is unsettling, the government knowing everything about you from what you watch on T.V. to what you purchase online, to what porn gets you off and everything in between. Even your personal emails.. Don't you find that a bit jarring? It all reeks of 1984, when you have the government monitoring your every move.
There is a duality in the whole thing: on one end, society can feel a little safer knowing that the government, through this kind of surveillance, can stop a bombing and save hundreds of people. On the other end of the spectrum; This type of surveillance can also EASILY be used to control society.
Thinking in hypotheticals; What if the government decided to implement a curfew? No one outside past 10 pm unless they have legal documentation stating they are allowed to do so. The people don't like this, they want to protest or form some sort of activist group against this curfew. How are you going to organize that? Through digital devices, which the government monitors, and next thing you know, your activist group is all thrown in jail for conspiring against the government.
When you think about the bigger picture of it all, and what this type of authority could eventually become it kind of makes it seem more disturbing.

this too

I live in a country generally assumed to be a dictatorship. One of the Arab spring countries. I have lived through curfews and have seen the outcomes of the sort of surveillance now being revealed in the US. People here talking about curfews aren't realizing what that actually FEELS like. It isn't about having to go inside, and the practicality of that. It's about creating the feeling that everyone, everything is watching. A few points:

1) the purpose of this surveillance from the governments point of view is to control enemies of the state. Not terrorists. People who are coalescing around ideas that would destabilize the status quo. These could be religious ideas. These could be groups like anon who are too good with tech for the governments liking. It makes it very easy to know who these people are. It also makes it very simple to control these people.
Lets say you are a college student and you get in with some people who want to stop farming practices that hurt animals. So you make a plan and go to protest these practices. You get there, and wow, the protest is huge. You never expected this, you were just goofing off. Well now everyone who was there is suspect. Even though you technically had the right to protest, you're now considered a dangerous person.
With this tech in place, the government doesn't have to put you in jail. They can do something more sinister. They can just email you a sexy picture you took with a girlfriend. Or they can email you a note saying that they can prove your dad is cheating on his taxes. Or they can threaten to get your dad fired. All you have to do, the email says, is help them catch your friends in the group. You have to report back every week, or you dad might lose his job. So you do. You turn in your friends and even though they try to keep meetings off grid, you're reporting on them to protect your dad.

2) Let's say number one goes on. The country is a weird place now. Really weird. Pretty soon, a movement springs up like occupy, except its bigger this time. People are really serious, and they are saying they want a government without this power. I guess people are realizing that it is a serious deal. You see on the news that tear gas was fired. Your friend calls you, frantic. They're shooting people. Oh my god. you never signed up for this. You say, stuff it. My dad might lose his job but I won't be responsible for anyone dying. That's going too far. You refuse to report anymore. You just stop going to meetings. You stay at home, and try not to watch the news. Three days later, police come to your door and arrest you. They confiscate your computer and phones, and they beat you up a bit. No one can help you so they all just sit quietly. They know if they say anything they're next. This happened in the country I live in. It is not a joke.

3) Its hard to say how long you were in there. What you saw was horrible. Most of the time, you only heard screams. People begging to be killed. Noises you've never heard before. You, you were lucky. You got kicked every day when they threw your moldy food at you, but no one shocked you. No one used sexual violence on you, at least that you remember. There were some times they gave you pills, and you can't say for sure what happened then. To be honest, sometimes the pills were the best part of your day, because at least then you didn't feel anything. You have scars on you from the way you were treated. You learn in prison that torture is now common. But everyone who uploads videos or pictures of this torture is labeled a leaker. Its considered a threat to national security. Pretty soon, a cut you got on your leg is looking really bad. You think it's infected. There were no doctors in prison, and it was so overcrowded, who knows what got in the cut. You go to the doctor, but he refuses to see you. He knows if he does the government can see the records that he treated you. Even you calling his office prompts a visit from the local police.
You decide to go home and see your parents. Maybe they can help. This leg is getting really bad. You get to their house. They aren't home. You can't reach them no matter how hard you try. A neighbor pulls you aside, and he quickly tells you they were arrested three weeks ago and haven't been seen since. You vaguely remember mentioning to them on the phone you were going to that protest. Even your little brother isn't there.

4) Is this even really happening? You look at the news. Sports scores. Celebrity news. It's like nothing is wrong. What the hell is going on? A stranger smirks at you reading the paper. You lose it. You shout at him "stuff you dude what are you laughing at can't you see I've got a stuffing wound on my leg?"
"Sorry," he says. "I just didn't know anyone read the news anymore." There haven't been any real journalists for months. They're all in jail.
Everyone walking around is scared. They can't talk to anyone else because they don't know who is reporting for the government. Hell, at one time YOU were reporting for the government. Maybe they just want their kid to get through school. Maybe they want to keep their job. Maybe they're sick and want to be able to visit the doctor. It's always a simple reason. Good people always do bad things for simple reasons.
You want to protest. You want your family back. You need help for your leg. This is way beyond anything you ever wanted. It started because you just wanted to see fair treatment in farms. Now you're basically considered a terrorist, and everyone around you might be reporting on you. You definitely can't use a phone or email. You can't get a job. You can't even trust people face to face anymore. On every corner, there are people with guns. They are as scared as you are. They just don't want to lose their jobs. They don't want to be labeled as traitors.

This all happened in the country where I live.
You want to know why revolutions happen? Because little by little by little things get worse and worse. But this thing that is happening now is big. This is the key ingredient. This allows them to know everything they need to know to accomplish the above. The fact that they are doing it is proof that they are the sort of people who might use it in the way I described. In the country I live in, they also claimed it was for the safety of the people. Same in Soviet Russia. Same in East Germany. In fact, that is always the excuse that is used to surveil everyone. But it has never ONCE proven to be the reality.

Maybe Obama won't do it. Maybe the next guy won't, or the one after him. Maybe this story isn't about you. Maybe it happens 10 or 20 years from now, when a big war is happening, or after another big attack. Maybe it's about your daughter or your son. We just don't know yet. But what we do know is that right now, in this moment we have a choice. Are we okay with this, or not? Do we want this power to exist, or not?

You know for me, the reason I'm upset is that I grew up in school saying the pledge of allegiance. I was taught that the United States meant "liberty and justice for all." You get older, you learn that in this country we define that phrase based on the constitution. That's what tells us what liberty is and what justice is. Well, the government just violated that ideal. So if they aren't standing for liberty and justice anymore, what are they standing for? Safety?
Ask yourself a question. In the story I told above, does anyone sound safe?
I didn't make anything up. These things happened to people I know. We used to think it couldn't happen in America. But guess what? It's starting to happen.
I actually get really upset when people say "I don't have anything to hide. Let them read everything." People saying that have no idea what they are bringing down on their own heads. They are naive, and we need to listen to people in other countries who are clearly telling us that this is a horrible horrible sign and it is time to stand up and say no.

[Chuck17]

Rolling warrants to hold suspects in custody based on nothing but circumstantial evidence for indefinite periods of time and warrants to monitor activity and seize internet records ready exist. ASIO already monitor all internet traffic without warrants using algorithms. In fact, look up the wrong stuff too long and you receive a cease and desist letter. Just carry on, if you are doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about.

If it really bothers you connect to a Russian VPN.

Dwaino, Will looking at dwarf porn be an issue with the way things are going ?

[dwaino]

Rolling warrants to hold suspects in custody based on nothing but circumstantial evidence for indefinite periods of time and warrants to monitor activity and seize internet records ready exist. ASIO already monitor all internet traffic without warrants using algorithms. In fact, look up the wrong stuff too long and you receive a cease and desist letter. Just carry on, if you are doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about.

If it really bothers you connect to a Russian VPN.

Dwaino, Will looking at dwarf porn be an issue with the way things are going ?

As long as they're not gay or on boats I think you're right there, chuck.

[Penelope]

 

[dwaino]

 

[Chuck17]

Thanks for clearing that up 

[Judge Roughneck]

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-09-30/another-conspiracy-theory-becomes-fact-feds-stealth-bailout-foreign-banks-goes-mains

[Judge Roughneck]

abc.com.au

lamic State: Australian refuelling, surveillance planes join campaign against militant group in Iraq
Updated 27 minutes agoWed 1 Oct 2014, 4:38pm

 E-7A Wedgetail aircraft
PHOTO: An RAAF E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft will support international forces. (Australian Defence Force)
RELATED STORY: Meeting on Iraq involvement expected within days: BishopRELATED STORY: Kurds backed by air strikes reclaim territory from IS
MAP: Australia
Australian refuelling and surveillance planes will today start flying over Iraq in support of the international coalition battling Islamic State (IS) militants, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.

But Mr Abbott has told Parliament there is yet to be a decision made on when to commit Australian combat aircraft to the fight against what he says is an "apocalyptic death cult".

Australia last month sent 600 military personnel and eight F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates in preparation for joining the attack on IS targets in Iraq.

"We have not yet made a final decision to commit our forces to combat but Australian aircraft from today will start flying over Iraq in support of allied operations," Mr Abbott told Question Time this afternoon.

"Ours are support operations, not strike missions.

"Australian air strikes await final clearances from the Iraqi government and a further decision by our own. But from today our refueller and our Wedgetail [surveillance aircraft] will operate over Iraq in support of US and other coalition aircraft."

Mr Abbott says the Government is yet to make a final decision on committing forces to combat. Have your say.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the Defence Force has Labor's support for the "humanitarian mission".

"Labor's taken a strong interest in ensuring that Australia meets its international legal and diplomatic obligations and in guaranteeing that the appropriate force protection measures are in place for Australians serving in the region," Mr Shorten said.

"This is part of Australia's responsibilities as a good international citizen as well as providing important legal protections for our Defence personnel."

Earlier this week Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop signalled a decision on whether or not to join combat missions against IS was imminent.

She said Australian forces would focus on the fight against IS militants in Iraq and not join US strikes in Syria.

[Judge Roughneck]

ABC radio

500 million o foreign aid

To be put towards terrorism

Wanker

[Judge Roughneck]

any body with a burka at question time in parliment

needs to sit behind glass

as opposed to non muslims who can watch without glass

LOL

[Judge Roughneck]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Zl8opCLQJeM/VCSy7CkpocI/AAAAAAAAARs/2jl5BEp5xmE/s593-no/ASIO.jpg