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[xalciene]

The state of justice in the Developed World really is in a shambles (well, US, Britain and Australian anyway -- but you probably already knew who I was talking about). The US Supreme Court has now overturned Bush's military commissions and ruled that the processes to try inmates of Guantanamo Bay prison flatly contradict the Geneva Convention, as

Comments

[zippydngstckngs]

there's an article recently published (im to tired and lazy to go and find out the date) in the smh that gives a decent account of a speech given about the new legislation passed through the senate that allows secret party funding. (can you all say that in one breath?)

i read it and felt something shift in my stomach.

it was a labur senator pointing out how in every time it has held office, the liberal party has passed disgusting sets of reforms in a bid to not let anybody know who is funding them. i support the right of voting without any bias but when compnies are pouring money into wasteful advertising campaigns, and no-one knowing who they are, it shits me to tears.

anyway. thought you should know about that.

[xalciene]

yeah -- and unfortunately the Labor party's record isn't flash hot either. They've quietly gone along with the recent electoral reforms. It's now possible to donate up to $1,500 to a political party and claim it as a tax deduction, amounts up to $10,000 don't need to be declared, and those above that only become public more than a year and bit later. it's insane! to add to it all, the electoral roll closes the day an election is announced (so young people can't vote -- and I wonder who they usually vote, or don't vote, for. hmm) and small parties without an incumbent MP will be deregistered and forced to re-register soon. Total madness. Very "democratic."

Aaaaaanyway, who are you, if you don't mind me asking? I saw your comment on Loz's post... were you in that group when we went to the city last Friday?

[kewpid]

ahem, you get what you vote for.

That electoral reform legislation was a masterstroke. Young people and criminals are disenfranchised - two groups Australians thoroughly do NOT care about. The opposition has no PR-able argument against it. Same with the donation limits changes, because the bastards are all set to profit from it.

Isn't it (not) funny that the Bush administration is still accusing the Supreme Court of judicial activism even though the bench is stacked in their favour? Anyway, it's a bad situation, but the White House and Congress are well within their power to ignore international law and make changes within their territories. Maybe when we start getting barcoded people will come to their senses.

[xalciene]

it's unfortunate, but i doubt it. people really haven't got a clue what's going on. eg, today's Sunday Murdoch has the headline 'Big Brother Sex Scandal' -- riveting stuff!

And Bush and co are arrogant dickheads. Not quite sure what else to call them... No matter how bad the stuff ups or the revelations they always seem to find a way to dress things up as fighting the evil terrorists (a word he can't even pronounce, ironically) and any other 'principles,' obviously, don't apply to terrorists (read: non-white non-heterosexual non-Republican non-Americans).

It really makes you wonder why they bother with a court system at all if 1) they don't use it (for Guantanamonians) and 2) it's full of 'activists' that are just meddling with Bush's God-given right to do what he damn well wants.

Hmmm although maybe that's why Howard likes them so much... if they can get away with all that, the demolition of ministerial responsibility doesn't look so out of place.