Journalists and whistleblowers will go to jail under new national security laws, by Paul Farrell

This article published by ‘ the  guardian ‘ should make Australians aware that all is not well in the land of “the strong and the free“.  A rapid introduction of potentially draconian security laws, for no verifiable reason other than an existing agenda to bring Australia into line with other Western countries which limit personal freedoms in the interests of the governing and controlling organizations.

Democracy – Government of the people, by the people, for the people … is conspicuous by its absence!

There was no concerted campaign, no unified push by the media to stop this bill, which dramatically expands the powers of intelligence agencies while creating new offences for disclosing information about their operations.

Journalists will be jailed. It might take a year, or two, or even longer. But journalists and whistleblowers will face prison as a result of the first tranche of national security legislation that was passed in the Senate late on Thursday.

And they laughed as they did it. As the Coalition, Labor and the Palmer United party voted in favour of this bill, which dramatically expands the powers of intelligence agencies while creating new offences for disclosing information about the operations they will undertake with these new powers, there was a jovial air in the chamber.

It’s a bill that makes many broad changes to our intelligence gathering apparatus. It introduces a class of “special intelligence operation” for Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) missions where intelligence officers can gain immunity from using force or committing other offences.

Reporting of these operations, which could foreseeably lead to situations where a public disclosure would be in the public interest, could land journalists and whistleblowers in jail. And not just journalists, but any person who shares or republishes this material. In addition, harsher penalties are put in place for intelligence whistleblowers who take documents or records and disclose them, partly as a response to the disclosures made by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

It is strongly recommended to view this article and give it serious thought.

“intelligence officers can gain immunity from using force or committing other offences.”

Are we snug and secure in our “castles”? If not, from where do the threats originate? From miniscule or non-existent terrorist activities? or from our own authorities? 

Read Paul’s article here.