Safety first
SO, the PM wants the states to hand over driver’s licence photos. Good idea. But what happened to the Australia Card (national ID) and the Medicare Card containing our medical history for use in emergencies or when away from home? As terrorism fears, both here and abroad, escalate, it’s time to have measures introduced to safeguard the community, especially first responders. No doubt civil libertarians will scream blue murder, but the reality is that government agencies must address current problems in a 21stcentury manner, and not be hamstrung by a vocal minority.
Big Brother
IT’S finally come to fruition. Big Brother is watching you. Facial recognition is just the first step in controlling the masses. Imagine if Hitler or Stalin had had this type of technology in the 1930s. The abuses would have been even more horrendous. And this is just one of many examples of how facial recognition could be used. The concept is not horror fiction, it is reality. Its uses could be at rallies, protests, tracking opposition politicians, shopping centres and further, the fallibility of the technology itself. Once again, we enter the realms of fallacious reasoning.
Premiers hoodwinked into turning over state powers to the Commonwealth without proper public debate. New ideas, philosophies, values and freedoms cease to exist and critical and open discussion is suppressed or paralysed. How would facial recognition penetrate the burka? Why would any sane person vote for either of the major political parties? Both parties are bereft of logic, human emotion and sound reasoning. Our choice is a Hobson’s choice. themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website.
Listen to people
READER Niall Stewart is half right when he writes, “The only rights we have are ones that as a society we believe we should have, which are then protected by law” (Letters, October 5).
It is correct to say the only enforceable rights are those found in the law. However, it is wrong to say that the beliefs of the community are always acted on by Parliament.
When the public are asked if they want more human rights protected in Australian law, the answer is yes. A 2007 consultation by the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute received 94 per cent supportive submissions.
A national consultation in 2009 received 87 per cent support. Neither the Tasmanian nor Australian parliaments have yet acted as per the wishes of the people and passed human-rights laws. Meaningful law reform can be a long-term struggle and sometimes Parliament needs to be repeatedly asked to act before the law is changed. With that in mind, a petition is circulating Tasmania to raise this issue in the lead up to the Tasmanian State Election.
Never ends
WE have heard it all but now we have the report on the Glenorchy City Council held up again. This could go on longer than the South Korea conflict.
Missing equality
THERE is an important point missed by advocates of the Yes vote on marriage, when it comes to the word equality. It appears the boot is on the other foot, as businesses and others are increasingly denied their rights on religious faiths and personal opinion. Where’s the equality here?
Get going
JUST a question: How many viewers agree that Get Krack!n is the biggest load of garbage the ABC has produced and the two stars are the most unfunny comedians to appear on Australian television?