Another threat to democratic rights : ASIO detentions cloaked in secrecy

Supported by the Labor Party and with barely a mention in the media, "the Howard govemment late last year (2003) pushed laws through parliament that effectively gag all public protest against, or even reporting of, the use of the new detention and interrogation powers of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). It is now a crime, punishable by up to five years jail, to publicly mention any operation involving ASIO's unprecedented powers - given to it less than six months earlier - to detain and interrogate people without charge, simply on the allegation that they may have information relating to terrorism.