Unless something is done to stop the new “anti-terrorism” bill here in Australia, we'll all be saying goodbye to our privacy. This bill would change the existing laws to allow any government agency to access any stored communications. Due to their implimentation, this would include email, voice-messages and SMS messages.

Currently, these communications can only be intercepted with an interception warrant, which is available only to criminal enforcement agencies and ASIO. Under the proposed changes, only a search warrant would be required; something easily accessible to any government agency. Some interpretations of the changes would allow communication interception without even a search warrant, although the goverment is denying this.

Why do we need these changes? That's right, “terrorists”. However, it's quite obvious that this new bill isn't going to make the world any safer; telephone and fax communication would still remain as they are now, leaving “terrorists” able to communicate as long as they're not leaving messages for each other. The purpose of terrorism is to make the victim change their behaviour, and here we are, happily complying. It would appear that the “terrorists” are doing a fine job.

Although so far, it would appear that the only “terrorists” here in Australia are the politicians.