neonascent

For those of you outside of Australia*, the prime minister John Howard is in the process of bringing in has just brought in an anti-sedition law that will effectively cripple any semblance of free speech. This move will effectively bring Australia into the ideological neighbourhood of other countries with active sedition laws: North Korea, China, Cuba, Syria, Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Singapore. Together with a substantial segment relating to “control orders” (inspired by the UK’s new anti-terror laws regarding the control of “persons of interest”) the anti-sedition decree will create an easy mechanism for prosecution and incarceration on persons who have comitted no crime! Bob Brown, leader of the Australian Green party gravely observes:

We are in a new period of McCarthyism and we need to know that, and understand it, and worry that this time it won’t be turned around, that citizens, using a law like this, will be brought before courts for political reasons, not security reasons. >> Link

Australia is in the unique position amongst western democracies in that it as no explicit right to freedom of speech. This is a side effect of its government being a hybrid between US and UK governmental systems; while Australia keeps the anacronistic ambiguity of the old Westminster conventions, the UK itself has fully incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into its domestic law.

Now the little protection formally set (as judicial president) for the likes of journalists and artists is under direct attack:

• ABC Mediawatch investigation of the consequences of anti-sedition law on journalists
• Brief discussion by an friend-artist regarding sedition law, with a link to John Connolly’s (UNSW Law professor) excellent critique.

Recently Chas Savage, a writer for the ABC, has effectively highlighted the danger and stupidity of the proposed law by deliberately and methodically breaking each section of it. His article is well worth the read to both help understand the new law, and engage in the consequences (ie. the author could face jail time!).

* or those inside who are yet to become disenchanted with the Australian government.