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Australian Government Rejects Data Retention Law After Report

Posted by samzenpus on from the no-sir-I-don't-like-it dept.

mask.of.sanity writes "The Australian Government has shelved its plans to proactively store communications data of every citizen ostensibly to assist with law enforcement and intelligence efforts. The shelving (video) comes after a scathing report by Australian parliamentarians who investigated the Government's plans, and three months ahead of a federal election in which the Government is expected to lose office."

3 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why can't this happen in the US by Mitreya · · Score: 5, Interesting

    In other countries, occationally orwellian laws are blocked by elected officials.

    In the US, they all shrug and try to explain away our rights.

    Not at all. When the outrage gets too loud (think SOPA and the ilk), laws will be temporarily stopped and shelved, only to be re-introduced piece-by-piece in "Think of Rainbows And Puppies Act"

    I assume this is what is happening there -- a full law could not be passed openly, so it will be re-built quietly piece-by-piece later.

  2. Re:The current government is doomed. by Capsaicin · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yet you still wind up with a government that's competing with the UK and USA for the Police State Award.

    Do we?!

    I mean the inept Australian government actually felt it necessary to go to parliament to get legislative power to do what the UK and USA Police states just went ahead and did.

    In Australia we were displeased because we were informed about the government's intentions. The US and UK governments did not see fit similarly to displease their respective constituents. The Australian government has backed down in the face of both public and parliamentary opposition to the plan. Do you seriously believe the US or the UK are about dismantle their machinery? For all the articles the Guardian may publish?

    Not much of a competition I would say.

    Democracy ... I'm occasionally hopeful that it might work after all.

    --
    Better to be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than ruined by too confident a security. --Edmund Burke
  3. Re:The current government is doomed. by Gideon+Fubar · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I've never understood why some people are so concerned about big government but then give monopolies to big businesses.

    --
    http://www.xkcd.com/354/