[LINK] It's Queensland - (sorry to Qlders)

[Jan Whitaker]

At 03:28 PM 19/05/2011, Mailing List wrote:

>Perhpas he needs to watch this video. It is American but I would guess
>much of it would still apply here.
><http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc>

Just got around to watching this. I'm not sure it would apply here in 
all circumstances. For example, if a transit officer on the tram in 
Vic asks you for your ID or perhaps your name and address, you must 
provide it or you will be arrested. And these guys are BIG. So just 
saying your name and address is I believe a requirement under some 
administrative law at least. Not sure about criminal law.

Then again, we have those anti-terrorist provisions that don't even 
let you request an attorney or even tell anyone you were detained. 
You can disappear in this country.

Folks, Australia is not the US. We do NOT have a Constitution with 
the same rights as the US.

Still, after watching that video and the reply by the detective in 
the second half, I might take my chances not speaking to the Police 
here in view of a risk management strategy, the lesser of two evils 
and potential for police misusing anything else I might say beyond my 
name, address (easily found) and handing over my driver licence if 
required. I'm not sure I would give it to Transit officers, though. I 
think a driver licence is precluded from being a form of ID.

Now we're way off topic......

Does anyone (Stil? Richard?) know what happened to Ben's laptop which 
was confiscated or the copy of the data image taken by police? Or the 
complaint that led to it? Was the original person who grabbed the 
image ever contacted or interviewed? If not, then Qld police have 
screwed up again. Or perhaps it's just too early to know.

Jan



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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