Federal Govt provides forced holidays for workaholics

I had a day off work and put Melbourne's RRR on the radio. I was only half listening, so my facts may be wonky.

Some activist/threat to national security was detained at the airport and 'thrown into solitary confinement for 4 hours' before being deported. The radio host was outraged... SOLITARY CONFINEMENT for four whole hours.

I'll skip the issue of the gross violation of this lads rights and the vast abuse of his basic human right to not sit in a room alone for 4 hours. Poor wee chappy.

However:
Apparently if you are a Australian citizen, and you are deemed a threat to national security, you will be held in solitary confinement for a while as ASIO figures out their next step. As they are a Fed Govt 'department' this may take a while. They can't kick you out of the country.
As I can't get away from working, even when I am not at my paid job.... four hours or so in the lockup, then answering some dumb questions seems an attractive opportunity.
Now to figure out how to have the arrest effected just as I rock up to my paid job.

Sorry to burst your bubble but he actually got a bill for his stay in jail.
Also had to pay for his flight home and his escorts flights home and their accomodation etc..... about $11k I think.

He was demonstrating at that ficticious meeting at the Opera House the other week and he came specifically for it, not as a tourist to see the sight's, but for that meeting to cause trouble, he was one of the people arrested. I reckon they did the right thing, go to the states and jump the fence of the White House when the "Man" is home and the security shoot then ask questions, They've done it before. So deportation is a soft approach, also he only has to pay the fine if he want's to return to OZ!..:)

savage.

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Originally Posted by savage

He was demonstrating at that ficticious meeting at the Opera House the other week and he came specifically for it, not as a tourist to see the sight's, but for that meeting to cause trouble, he was one of the people arrested. I reckon they did the right thing, go to the states and jump the fence of the White House when the "Man" is home and the security shoot then ask questions, They've done it before. So deportation is a soft approach, also he only has to pay the fine if he want's to return to OZ!..:)

savage.

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No Savage, they did NOT do the right thing. Whether you agree with his politics or not, he did nothing wrong except criticise little Johnny. That is NOT grounds for deportation in this country, regardless of how you dress it up. It's sheer restriction of free speach, just another step of becomming another state of the great USofA.

Little Johnny? They now call him 'bonsai', coz he's a little bush.

Richard

True, but he is a known "trouble maker" (I only heard the news report that he was known to do the same else where) in the U.S. the protest here was quiet and peaceful until a few started to "agitate" the crowd of protesters and then they turned into a "mob"! That is why they arrested him, he say's he doesn't know why, but I guess there are a lot of innocents in prison as well!...All I am saying is we have enough problems in Australia and we don't need people who don't even live here causing trouble and stirring up the locals. I believe in freedom of speech, but the U.S. has it's own problems, I say stay over there and protest to his own government about it's own problems, if he came here for an international protest (which I believe he did) respect the way the locals conduct thier protest, don't stir, as it was meant to be peaceful, that's all I was getting at. Like if he wanted to take thing a step further, being a visitor, of course they will toss him out, if he was a local he would probably be charged with inciting a riot or something similar, fined and have a record. He was incarcerated (while the authorities verified who he was, with everyone on edge about terrorism) for a few hours, a flight arranged and sent home and as I said before fined, but they said on the news chnl7 he would only have to pay it if he wanted back in, and cancelled his visa (which is normal proceedure on a deportee). Wefare wise he was treated the same as any other person being deported (for what ever reason), politically I guess that's open for debate, each of use has his/her own opinion on the situation, right or wrong it's how I feel, you feel different. I do respect your opinion and your right to voice it as you do other's. No bad feeling OK, I do enjoy a good debate with someone who doesn't become abusive. Thank you.

savage.:)

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Originally Posted by Daddles

No Savage, they did NOT do the right thing. Whether you agree with his politics or not, he did nothing wrong except criticise little Johnny. That is NOT grounds for deportation in this country, regardless of how you dress it up. It's sheer restriction of free speach, just another step of becomming another state of the great USofA.

Little Johnny? They now call him 'bonsai', coz he's a little bush.

Richard

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He's not an Australian citizen, he's a visitor here. In under a tourist visa. Tough luck - no freedom of speech for visitors. We can criticise the government as much as we want; he can pull his head in. We don't need some political activist over here stirring up trouble. These guys just hate everything. I have no time for them they are just troublemakers. Send him home and let him excercise his freedom of speech in the US.

Richard,

It is reported that the ALP was given a confidential ASIO briefing on the reasons for this bloke's deportation, and that, in the light of that briefing, decided not to protest it. Presumably, therefore, there were sound reasons for his deportation.

Rocker

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Originally Posted by Peter57

Tough luck - no freedom of speech for visitors.

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And neither is there for citizens. Unlike the USA there is no Bill of Rights and there is no guaranteed freedom of speech. Any protest must be done within the laws of this country.

That he didn't so he got deported.


Peter.

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Originally Posted by Rocker

It is reported that the ALP was given a confidential ASIO briefing

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they may have been mistakenly given to Latham.

I heard an interview with him yesterday (The deportee) that was very interesting. He supported protest through peaceful non-violent resistance.
I'm sure they had valid reason to deport that australian woman to the phillipines as well, under Mandy's directorship immigration has gone from strength to strength.

Can anyone imagine what this country could be if people were placed in positions of responsibility out of competence rather than nepotism. Our system is as corrupt as any tin pot dictatorship.

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Originally Posted by Sturdee

Bill of Rights.

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I heard someone saying the other day that it was fundamental to the success of democracy. The English have had one for hundreds of years and even the seppo's haven't got rid of it yet. Though the Patriot Act may have tried :)
Bonsai must have one of his slippery soundbites to justify his opposition to it.

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Originally Posted by savage

True, but he is a known "trouble maker" (I only heard the news report that he was known to do the same else where) in the U.S. savage.:)

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It depends what your definition of "trouble maker" is.
He's a peace activist who has spoken out strongly against the US involvement in Iraq. The term trouble maker was also applied to peace activists during the Vietnam war. They were right too.
He's one of those people who are unswerving in their opposition to war as opposed to the moral cowards who support wars until they see the death toll start to rise.

Adrian, I totally agree with you, war should be a last line of defence for any country who's borders are threatened, not a "police action" as in some "wars" many fine young Aussie men and women served and died in these actions. Some of my friends and my brother in-law served in Vietnam, listen to the words of Kasan (spelling?) by Jimmy Barnes, when they returned they where pelted with pig's blood, rotten food and dog feaces, all this for doing there job, because they are loyal Aussie's. Just because of "trouble makers" stirring up the crowd, they don't usually get caught, as they only stir and do not participate, then sit back and gloat on what a good job they have done?....Bring back conscription, teach our youth, self respect, respect for others and thier property and teach them a trade/profession, if they have not already have a job, sadly this country follows the U.S.A. and look at the mess they are in with thier youth. Everyone is entitled to freedom of speech, and freedom in general, isn't that what all those that have fallen in past conflicts fought for?....If people wish to visit, great, if people wish to live here and do so through the proper chanels, great, but we do not want "fly by nighter's" causing political unrest and confusion in our youth, getting them arrested and buggering off back to their own country with a big smile on their face. He was not smiling because he got caught, bad luck!....

savage. :)

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Originally Posted by Gingermick

I heard someone saying the other day that ( freedom of speech ) was fundamental to the success of democracy. The English have had one for hundreds of years and even the seppo's haven't got rid of it yet.

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Whilst freedom of speech may be desirable in a democracy only in the USA is it enshrined in their constitution.

When I was still at school I did a major study in that subject, having perused the the Australian and Victorian constitutions as well as the Dutch, the French and the USA for guarantees of freedom of speech. The only reason I didn't do the English because they have no written constitution as such but laws and traditions evolved over the centuries.

None, except the USA with the Bill of Rights, guarantees freedom of speech to its citizens. It is assumed that it is there but such assumed freedoms are in fact severely limited by law.

Peter.

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Originally Posted by savage

Just because of "trouble makers"

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And being a stirrer is a threat to national security? And please give our youth a little more credit. They are much better informed about events today as a result of technology. There may have been some bad behavior in regards to returning soldiers from vietnam, but the only problems this guy was gonna cause were problems for the re-election of the federal government.
Now holding the soldiers responsible for the actions of the government is bad.

And Peter, what was the English Bill of Rights 1689 about? Was that just a parlimentry act that can be repealed?

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Originally Posted by savage

He was demonstrating at that ficticious meeting at the Opera House the other week and he came specifically for it, not as a tourist to see the sight's, but for that meeting to cause trouble, he was one of the people arrested. I reckon they did the right thing, go to the states and jump the fence of the White House when the "Man" is home and the security shoot then ask questions, They've done it before. So deportation is a soft approach, also he only has to pay the fine if he want's to return to OZ!..:)

savage.

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If I understand internetional agreements properly the demonstrator has had his passport confiscated and the US will not give him another passport till he pays the bill

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Originally Posted by MathewA

the US will not give him another passport till he pays the bill

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It'd be cheaper to get a forgery.