The new powers bestowed on ASIO officers are frightening. Silently and without scrutiny, new legislation is about to put an end to your right to even access information. Section 35P of the National Security Amendment Bill (No. 1) makes it a crime -10 years jail - for reporting on an intelligence operation. The problem with the legal mumbo jumbo is that the legislation is so open to interpretation it could apply to anyone. Journalists, bloggers, lawyers, and any member of the public could fit the description of ‘reporting’ on an intelligence operation. If you see federal police and ASIO officers in your street and mention it on social media, this can be treated as disclosing information. Even talking about it could get you 10 years. Not only does section 35P completely gag the press, but it effectively gives ASIO immunity and it takes away the ability of Australians to scrutinise their actions. ASIO can shut down anyone or any kind of publication reporting on anything deemed to be a special intelligence operation. The language is so broad, it could apply to anyone sharing information on ASIO activities, or even local police. Every digital step you take is now traceable. ASIO will be able to pretty much monitor the entire internet without a warrant, just because it wants too. Section 313 gives ASIO the power to do what it wants by using vague language to describe what a network computer is. It doesn’t even define what a ‘network’ could be. A network of computers could be three computers in a home using the one wifi modem. It could be a corporate network or an IP network. The wording is so vague that a network could even mean the whole internet. It could force an internet service provider like Telstra to shut down the Sydney to Melbourne link and you won’t know until after it happens. Or if you did somehow know ahead of time and you sent out a tweet about it ... bang, ten years behind bars. Each new day brings a new story on atrocities happening overseas and each new story enables the government to pass new laws that you wouldn’t support otherwise. In fact, it could soon be illegal to comment on any new government powers. All for the sake of security of course. Make no mistake. There is no delicate balance, this is now
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 22:04:21 +0000
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