Aus. Gov't Considers Fines for Online Suicide Info

downundarob writes "The Australian federal government is once again showing its cluelessness regarding the workings of the Internet. The short article tells us how, under legislation to be introduced this week, corporations would be fined up to AU$500,000 and individuals AU$100,000 if they use the Internet to incite or promote suicide methods. In Australia it is illegal to commit, or attempt to commit suicide."

Comments

Suicide is not illegal in Australia

[jaani]

From the story ouline:

In Australia it is illegal to commit, or attempt to commit suicide.

This is incorrect. In the statutes governing criminal offences in each of the six states and two territories of Australia, it is - to my knowledge - not illegal to commit or attempt to commit suicide. Though it was once illegal in some jurisdictions, such laws were repealed well over half a century ago (mostly on the basis of policy roughly informed by the libertarian doctrines other users here seem to be espousing). See, for example, the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), which provides, inter alia:

6A. Suicide no longer a crime

The rule of law whereby it is a crime for a
person to commit or to attempt to commit
suicide is hereby abrogated.

So while it might be fun to poke fun at the frequently conservative and sometimes ridiculous legislators of our respective countries, please do some basic fact-checking first. (For reference, all Australian Commonwealth [ie, Federal] and State legislation can be found at: http://www.austlii.edu.au/). Then again, this is Slashdot... :-)

Re:details

[anethema]

You fill find this pretty hard to believe, but our family was as close to a perfect family I've seen I think. I'm sure there are better but it doesnt get that much better.

Upper middle class family, dad started his own company, but by the time my sister was around he was home a lot.

No abuse, parents rarely fought..When I was growing up we were pretty poor (company just getting started and all) but when my sister was growing up we were decently well off.

My dad's side of the family is european, and all had very strong family values...

Parents seem to believe in god, but not enough to go to church, and never preached it to us, letting us make our own decision when we got old enough (me and her both decided it was a lot of hooey).

My parents every other year save up all year and take me and my sister on a trip to mexico. Sometimes every year if the money is good enough.

Not sure really how our family life could have been improved. Everyone i see around me has divorced parents, dysfunctinal relationships with the parents they do have...etc

I had a good relationship with her, but I moved out early because I love living on my own.

The sad thing is, because of the strong family values and that my sister had a good personality and everyone liked her..if she would have let on the tinyest bit that she was suicidal, anyone in the family would have done ANYTHING to stop this from happening. Myself included.

She left no note or indication of why she did it. She blocked me on msn that night, i assume so i wouldnt see her name she put "fuck you all, i'm gonna say goodbye" or something along those lines.

She has some really shitty drug addict freinds, i assume that couldnt have helped. The tox report came back negative for everything except a little bit of alcohol.

Either way, all of that beeing said..I am angry at her, but i still love her. I came off sounding madder at her than i am. Just trying to convince the grandgrandparent that suicide was a stupid thing to do because of the consequences it has for everyone.

Maybe she did have her reasons to die, but they werent worth the misery they caused.

A lot of people thus far have called me selfish etc, but i cant imagine what would be more selfish than what my sister did. I'm thinking of the welfare of my entire family. Now my parents marriage is on the rocks, my grades have gone to shit, and the rest of the family is totally depressed (all like i said before).

I think it must have been illness, but she didnt display any of the signs. She didnt get happier towards the end like some do, she didnt look super depressed. She had a low self image, like most teen girls...but none of this seems like suicide material to me...I guess it must have been illness.

Ah too much typing, just trying to get across to you that our family life was really great, and i dont have a single regret about my childhood. My sister was more spoiled than I was i guess because we had more money, maybe that contributed.

And its okay dont bother sparing my feelings, I'm near impossible to offend.