Whither democracy? Demonstrations outlawed in Victoria

[nothinghead]

 

From September onwards the police in Victoria will have the power to ‘move on’ groups of people at their will, including those involved in peaceful protests and pickets. Those who refuse to comply with these orders can be issued with fines of $750, exclusion orders, and jail gaol terms of up to 2 years.

Though clearly aimed at disrupting the Tunnel Picket campaign against the East West Link, in future this law has the potential to be used against anyone – including trade unions and community groups.

Even die-hard conservatives question whether the new laws are too heavy handed. Tim Wilson, former head of the IPA and current Human Rights commissioner told The Age he though the laws were ”excessive”.

http://talkingpoints.com.au/2014/03/r-p-free-speech-protesters-can-now-charged-750-2-years-gaol-attending-protests-victoria/

 

...critics in the legal fraternity said the laws threaten the fundamental democratic right to protest.

“If people believe they’re engaged in non-violent protest, they won’t be able to hold their ground against police,” Fitzroy Legal Service solicitor Meghan Fitzgerald said. “As soon as the move-on direction is issued, on a reasonable suspicion that your conduct, including future conduct, is likely to cause a breach of the peace, then people can be arrested.”

Powers currently available to the police allow protesters to be excluded from a public area for around 24 hours, Fitzgerald said. “Under these amendments, if people return to the protest site, the police can apply for an exclusion order that lasts up to a year,” she said.

If an individual receives three move-on orders in six months, or five in 12 months, the amendments allow police to apply for an exclusion order, completely banning them from a public area. Breaching an exclusion order will be punishable by up to two years’ jail.

Community groups such as the Salvation Army have warned: “These laws will disproportionately affect marginalised young people, people experiencing homelessness, poverty and mental health issues.”

They fear that the vulnerable people might be excluded from public spaces by the new system, but have nowhere else to go, and find themselves imprisoned as a result.

Clark has conceded the new powers limit “an individual’s right to move freely within Victoria … and may, in certain circumstances, limit the rights to freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly and freedom of association”, but he maintains that the new powers comply with Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/20/victorian-anti-protest-laws-pass-lower-house

[Dreamwalker.]

our western fascist regimes....................have you noted the extreme propaganda on our media re Ukraine ?......sad how many idiots out there will be suckered in.....................yeah lets support Nazi's and illegal government's

after all we are the good guys..............aren't we?...........you know democracy free speech..........freedom to associate............. the gangsters rule

see 3 min vid

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13393&page=94#entry457705

Edited March 12, 2014 by Dreamwalker

[The Resistance]

http://talkingpoints.com.au/2014/03/r-p-free-speech-protesters-can-now-charged-750-2-years-gaol-attending-protests-victoria/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/20/victorian-anti-protest-laws-pass-lower-house

Welcome to the jungle

[The Resistance]

This doesn't surprise me the slightest.

I'd just about place a bet that there will be some kind of disaster in the next decade which will be used as an excuse to take away even more of our already limited freedoms.

Just look at history. Over the past 100 years especially. It has been snowballing. And now the snowball is fucking huge.

That shit goin down in Eastern Europe is, at least partially, for the purpose of elevating petrol prices. And when petrol costs more, we have less money to do things. Things like planting fruit trees and becoming self-sufficient.

It's like making the enclosure for a zoo animal smaller.

The System (government, coppers, etc.)

is cunningly designed to keep us separated and fighting amongst each other.

I say,

let's unite and fight our

common enemy

Which is, of course, The System.

And just to clarify, I'm not saying start buying weapons from http://www.globalgear.com.au/

or join a knife/sword collectors club so you can legally own a real full length "battle ready" samurai sword http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/want-to-buy-an-illegal-knife-join-the-club-20100227-pa8u.html

or even get your long and short arms license.

Although these aren't bad ideas...

I'm saying,

the best way to make change is to be an example.

And a very good idea is to buy land (or join like minded people who already have this land), plant up orchards, greenhouses full of veggies, and while you're at it some ethnobotanicals. And learn everything on being self-sufficient.

Because I got news for you. The System doesn't give a fuck about you.

I mean, how much longer do you think The System will allow people to make posts on the internet like this?

Think about it

Edited March 13, 2014 by The Resistance

[shortly]

Face it we haven't had a democracy in this part of the world in a generation or more, all we have is a corporatocracy masquerading as a democracy to keep ppl quiet & compliant.

[DiscoStu]

just in time to ensure a hassle free waste of billions on the east west link

i also hear vicgov is considering lifting the moratorium on fracking. excellent foresight napthene

[-RC-]

I'm sure I read recently about some sort of civil rights impingement by the Vic gov with another law last month or so.

Pretty sure I said then I guarantee it will be swiftly followed by another, before Christmas I think I said, but I thought it would be in another state.

Guess I can predict the future... and my next prediction is Orwellian use of technology for monitoring you, your family, and your habits INSIDE your own home.

Welcome back to 1984 everyone. Smile for the cameras.

[DiscoStu]

and my next prediction is Orwellian use of technology for monitoring you, your family, and your habits INSIDE your own home.

with david "journalists are terrorists" cameron spruiking "the internet of things" it doesn't really take a clairvoyant to see that

[shortly]

Guess I can predict the future... and my next prediction is Orwellian use of technology for monitoring you, your family, and your habits INSIDE your own home.

I thought that was your smart TV & Xbox ?

[Distracted]

I'm sure I read recently about some sort of civil rights impingement by the Vic gov with another law last month or so.

Pretty sure I said then I guarantee it will be swiftly followed by another, before Christmas I think I said, but I thought it would be in another state.

Guess I can predict the future... and my next prediction is Orwellian use of technology for monitoring you, your family, and your habits INSIDE your own home.

Welcome back to 1984 everyone. Smile for the cameras.

It's the same law I just posted about it last month

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

Thank god, finally the hippies will be under control. Have a shower and get a haircut ya'll FFS

;)

[-RC-]

It's the same law I just posted about it last month

I predict that I will soon feel embarrassment that I didn't even notice that

[waterboy 2.0]

shit ...that's tame compared to what they've proposed for here.....

I am calm like a bomb.......

EDIT - state election this weekend will be the tipping point or long slide into hell

Edited March 13, 2014 by waterboy