Counter-terrorism laws threaten fundamental democratic rights

In a far-reaching move against freedom of speech and political association, the Howard government has introduced a package of so-called counter-terrorism laws handing unprecedented powers to the government and its intelligence and police agencies. On the pretext of protecting the Australian people from terrorist violence in the wake of the September II events in the United States, the government is undennining basic protections against arbitrary detention, political persecution and police frame-up.