“This is worrying because we know a culture of secrecy does not produce good government,” said Dr. Aruna Sathanapally, the director of the Sydney office of the Human Rights Law Center. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyNational security under the bills would be extended to include economic relations — an expansion that set off alarm bells among some lawyers. But if the new espionage bills become law, notes or any other records of those conversations could be illegal. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyMr. Morris at the ABC said that the bills essentially threaten a wide swath of conversations and research involving dissenting or competing viewpoints. She said she would like to give Parliament a simple message: “If you pass this law you’re basically taking away freedom from Australians, including the freedom of expression,” she said.

Source: New York Times January 30, 2018 06:22 UTC