It is 1984. It is ALWAYS 1984…
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First, the Labour government introduced the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002. This law could outlaw an organisation and declare them a “terrorist groups”.
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Some see Greenpeace as a terrorist organisation.
Ten years later, and National enacted the Search and Surveillance Act 2012. This law allowed the Police to search or keep citizens under surveillance, without a warrant. The Police simply had to show it was an “emergency”.
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This law allows Police to keep someone under surveillance and search their home if they are a political dissident/protestor.
Or maybe I’m being overly dramatic?
After all, Police wouldn’t be interested in people exercising their democratic right to protest.
Right?
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Eventually, though, the gradual demise of our privacy impacts on all of us. Even for those within the Establishment, who originally thought it was a good idea.
After all, if you’ve done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear.
Right?
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As mainstream media focus and reports endless stories about crime and violence, society becomes more frightened of bogeymen just around the corner; or lurking behind bushes; or following us.
So we welcome any and all laws that successive governments give to the Police because, like children, we’re afraid of the bogeymen that the media tells us is waiting… just around the corner, or behind bushes.
Yes, crime does exist. Meteorites falling out of the sky also exist. Lotto winners exist.
So what are your chances of experiencing all three?
The way the media constantly fixates on crime – you’d think it could happen to you tomorrow.
The government could pass new laws every day of the week. Crime, however, will not go away. You probably will not be a victim tomorrow. Society will not be any more or less be any safer.
After all these laws – is it any more or less safer now?
Is the bogeyman real? Yes, he probably is.
But not today. And not tomorrow. Perhaps, for you, not ever.
But your loss of privacy is with you always.
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= fs =
Hey Frank, have you checked behind your air conditioning vents lately?
Hmmm, let’s see…
dead moths…
copious amounts of dust…
three directional microphones…
one visible light camera…
one infra-red camera…
more dust…
and a very lost (but still living) weta.
Nah, not much in the vents at all, Allyson.
I think every city in New Zealand should have a 40 foot high statue of John Key , Bronze would probably be a good material to use and massive billboard pictures with John Key Ill pointing to the “Brighter Future” .
After all if you are going to act like a dictator you should have all the trimmings .
Erecting a dummy 40ft “bronze” statue of Key, in the manner of the late Saddam Hussein or any one of Nth Korea’s ruling dynastic family… now that wouild be an excellent bit of street theatre, Mick.