From: mgream@acacia.itd.uts.edu.au (Matthew Gream)
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 94 19:19:14 PDT
To: jamesd@netcom.com (James A. Donald)
Subject: Re: Cyberspace is by nature crime-free
In-Reply-To: <199406081555.IAA23639@netcom.com>
Message-ID: <9406090221.AA28440@acacia.itd.uts.EDU.AU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


"James A. Donald" wrote:

> Witchcraft is also illegal in Australia.  When was the last 
> prosecution for sedition?

There are shit laws in many countries, including Australia, but
unfortunately they are still laws and still crimes, ready to be pulled
out and (unfortunately) used. The point is that whether or not it's a
`dead letter' law (as David McKnight puts it), it still exists and
still can be used and (in the eyes of the law, but not necessary in the
eyes of the majority) still a crime.

> During the many decades I lived in Australia there was never
> a prosecution for sedition, and there was plenty of sedition.

There is one that I can remember, documented in David McKnight's recent
book on ASIO and it's operation as a political tool against the left
during the 50s and 60s. A leading CPA figure was successfully
prosecuted in Brisbane for calls to citizens to not assist the country
in the next war (something or other, I don't have the book with me).

This only seems to prove my point that a seemingly useless crime is
still there ready be used as a tool of state suppression.

> Has the place turned totalitarian since I left?

Not yet.


Matthew.

-- 
Matthew Gream
Consent Technologies
Sydney, (02) 821-2043
M.Gream@uts.edu.au