EVENT: Laws of Terror - A Public Forum to Discuss Federal And State Anti-Terror Legislation

Three representatives from civil society organisations will offer their perspective on the legislation. Speakers will present for one hour in total with the remaining time available for questions, comment and discussion.

More and more Australians are deeply troubled about the unprecedented powers contained in the Federal Government’s draft anti-terrorism legislation. Powers include house arrest, wearing of tracking devices, increased sedition, detention of juveniles, shoot to kill provisions and further restrictions on the media. Never before has such an important piece of legislation been presented to the Parliament with such little scrutiny and public discussion. As a recent Age Editorial suggested the manner in which these changes are being handled is reminiscent of repressive regimes. This Forum is being organized by a variety of civil society groups and organizations concerned about the lack of public scrutiny and discussion and the withholding of information about the Commonwealth draft anti-terrorism legislation and its interface with State based legislation. The Forum is being held to coincide with the presentation of the Bill to the Federal Parliament.

The event is sponsored from the following groups:

People’s Health Movement; Public Health Assoc. of Australia (WA Branch); Social Justice Network; The Greens (WA); The Australian Democrats; Matrix Consulting Group; Amnesty Australia WA Branch; WACOSS; WA Sustainability Collaboration; Aboriginal Legal Service; National Tertiary Education Union (WA Division); Uniting Church Social Justice Commission; Unions (Unions WA, CPSU/CSA, ASU, SSTU); Institute of Advanced Studies, University of WA; West Australians for Racial Equality (WARE); Curtin Centre for Human Rights Education; Edmund Rice Centre; Ethnic Communities Council; Christian; Centre for Social Action; Perth Indymedia; WA Peace Network; Labour Lawyers; The Fremantle Anti-Nuclear Group; The Anti-Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia