Yesterday, there was more attention on Labor’s revival of a 2018 Coalition measure to allow police to recommend suspected criminals (not convicted, just suspected) have their welfare cancelled. Which is a reversal of the presumption of innocence.
Lidia Thorpe wants the amendment taken out of the unrelated bill the Labor government have tacked it on to, because the measure will more than likely be used against Indigenous people.
The Antipoverty Centre, which was one of the first civil society groups to raise the alarm, said that more groups have come together to scrap the proposal, which Labor officially got rid of in its first budget in October 2022, after it sat there for years following the Turnbull government attempt to bring it in, but decided to revive in 2025.
The legislation is due to be debated in the senate today where Thorpe will move to strike out the amendment and if that fails, David Pocock will attempt to split the bill to have the amendment (which does not have anything to do with the bill Labor is using as a Trojan horse) considered on its own in an inquiry.
Groups supporting the call for the government to abandon the amendment:
Anglicare Australia | Antipoverty Centre | Anti-Poverty Network SA | Australian Council of Social Services | Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union | Council of Single Mothers and their Children | Disability Advocacy Network Australia | Economic Justice Australia | Everybody’s Home | Mental Health Lived Experience Peak Qld | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) | NSW Council for Civil Liberties | Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion | Single Mother Families Australia | Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre
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First they came for our metadata, I said nothing, as I didn't know what the hell it was.
Then they came with their control orders, I said nothing, well the kids were spending too much time on the internet anyway - " stop sooking, and get out and play some football before curfew and wash your hands before dinner."
Then they came with their preventative detention orders, I said nothing, well, mum was always threatening to knacker the pollies; she musta said somepin bad.
Then they came for our citizenship, I said nothing, why should others other more citizenships than me.
Then they came for the whistleblowers, I said nothing, cause I didn't want the ATO looking through my tax returns.
Then they came with their secret trials, I said nothing, cause I didn't know about them of course.
Then they came with their secret imprisonments, I said nothing, cause of course I didn't know about it.
Then they came for our encrypted messages with their telecommunications act, I said nothing, in case they looked a my messages telling mum to play dumb.
Then they came for our judicial oversight with their ASIO act, I said nothing, that'll teach dad for looking over the paling fence.
Then they came for our whistleblowers, I said nothing, know nothing, see nothing, right?
Now they've come for our social security payments, will no one say anything to help me?