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Comment by vermilingua | Hacker News Reader

If I can doomsay for a moment:

Let’s assume that this is another step on the slippery slope that leads to a totalitarian Australian government. What recourse do we (aus citizens) have? I have tried the political route, and my calls and emails have simply not been answered by my representatives; I have tried to raise awareness in my peers, and Australians are simply the most politically apathetic group in western civilisation.

I could move to another country, but it seems that among all developed countries we are or will be seeing the same trend. I could move to an undeveloped country, but would be making a sacrifice in quality of life.

I genuinely cannot see a way out of this system, am I self-deluding?

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As someone who was born and grew up in a totalitarian country, I hope I am not going to underestimate your risks but I would say that some bad law now and then does not mean you are on the slippery slope to a totalitarian government. It just means that we live in an imperfect world.

I admit that I do not know much about Australia, but AFAIK you are not on a strategically important location right next to a much more powerful aggressive neighbor, there is no major economic crisis (think "we cannot get enough food" type, not "we can afford slightly fewer iPhones" type)... do you really have enough reason to think about moving to another country? Did any rich and independent country in history just "slipp" to totalitarianism? I am not saying you should not be cautious... but this feels out of proportion. Just my $0.02.

You could help to decrease the prevalence of the attitude whose extreme form was responsible for the passage of the law in the first place. Ever give that a thought? There is no totalitarianism here its Law & Order.

The “attitude” that allowed this law to pass, was an utter disregard for the will of the people, and the drive to ignore established democratic process.

The A&A bill was rushed through parliament at breakneck speed, after the examining committee ignored over 300 recommendations condemning the law; a process that on the whole was kept extremely quiet, and had next to zero media presence.

There is law and order yes, but whose?

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