Welcome to Australia: Police State

DrBorisQ

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/g...8025344552.html

Jail terms, fines aimed at graffiti vandals[/b]Mia GrantApril 17, 2008 - 12:07PMGraffiti vandals will face up to two years' jail and thousands of dollars in fines under new Victorian laws.The regulations come into force today, also giving more powers to police to catch offenders.Police Minister Bob Cameron said graffiti vandals charged under the tough new laws could be imprisoned for up to two years and face a fine of more than $26,000.The laws will enable police to issue on-the-spot fines of $550 to anyone carrying spray paint cans if they cannot prove the paint is for work-related purposes.The laws also grant police the power to search individuals over the age of 14 suspected of carrying any graffiti-related implement.Mr Cameron said he hoped the new laws would act as a deterrent, sending a strong message to graffiti vandals. "If people want to be graffitists, they'll think twice", he said.Superintendent Kevin Sheridan said police did not make a distinction between artistic graffiti and other forms of graffiti, such as tagging, saying that as far as the police were concerned it all constituted vandalism and was therefore illegal.The campaign will involve radio advertisements and large public outdoor advertisements.

What the hell is going on down here? It just seems to be one new crazy totalitarian law after the next recently. A $550 fine for carrying a spray can if you can't 'prove' it's for work?? And the ability to search anyone they 'suspect' of carrying paint? So basically any teenager with a backpack can now be legally searched for no reason? Makes me feel even more thankful that I'm moving overseas in a couple of weeks.

kwality

I'm afraid I think you're right man - all these bullshit laws that don't mean anything except grief keep happening. Even my girlfriend, who rarely pays attention to this kind of stuff is over all the lame things happening here in Aust.

If I was a conspiracy theorist I'd say Rudd is just a decoy to make us think we're on the right track while lame shit keeps happening...

waxjunky

But how about this?!

WASHINGTON - The government plans to begin collecting DNA samples from anyone arrested by a federal law enforcement agency ??? a move intended to prevent violent crime but which also is raising concerns about the privacy of innocent people.

Using authority granted by Congress, the government also plans to collect DNA samples from foreigners who are detained, whether they have been charged or not. The DNA would be collected through a cheek swab, Justice Department spokesman Erik Ablin said Wednesday. That would be a departure from current practice, which limits DNA collection to convicted felons.

Expanding the DNA database, known as CODIS, raises civil liberties questions about the potential for misuse of such personal information, such as family ties and genetic conditions.

Ablin said the DNA collection would be subject to the same privacy laws applied to current DNA sampling. That means none of it would be used for identifying genetic traits, diseases or disorders.

Congress gave the Justice Department the authority to expand DNA collection in two different laws passed in 2005 and 2006.

There are dozens of federal law enforcement agencies, ranging from the FBI to the Library of Congress Police. The federal government estimates it makes about 140,000 arrests each year.

Justice officials estimate the new collecting requirements would add DNA from an additional 1.2 million people to the database each year.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/dna_collection

Pundit

hasn't the whole world pretty much been sliding in this direction for some time? I was chatting to this woman at work who moved here from the uk 5 years ago and I asked her why she moved here and she said she had 3 teenage daughters and she wanted them to have some chance at life. her words. I thought that was a bit harsh but she was adamant the uk was sliding into the abyss.

I'm not really really deep into conspiracy crap but i do dabble from time to time.. the whole world post 911 is on some whole other shit.

fishmongerfunk

hasn't the whole world pretty much been sliding in this direction for some time? I was chatting to this woman at work who moved here from the uk 5 years ago and I asked her why she moved here and she said she had 3 teenage daughters and she wanted them to have some chance at life. her words. I thought that was a bit harsh but she was adamant the uk was sliding into the abyss.

I'm not really really deep into conspiracy crap but i do dabble from time to time.. the whole world post 911 is on some whole other shit.

The UK has had a DNA database for years. If you are arrested here, a DNA swab is taken and it goes on file FOREVER regardless of whether or not your are actually charged or even convicted.

There are CCTV cameras everywhere.its a bloody panopticon.

These are just a couple of examples of the unnerving drift towards preventative crime fighting in this country. There is no going back to the way things used to be.