Hmmm. They call this journalism?
Unsurprisingly, the APEC Meeting (Police Powers) Bill 2007 has got the nod from NSW State Parliament.
The short version:
- An Act to give police officers special powers with respect to the provision of security for the series of meetings of the members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group of economies in Sydney; and for other purposes.
The corporate version… on the passing of the Industrial and Other Legislation Amendment (APEC Public Holiday) Bill on the same date, June 26.
APEC-related laws approved in NSW
The Age (AAP)
June 26, 2007Laws to clarify Sydney’s APEC public holiday and also grant authorities the power to close down shopping strips have been passed by the NSW parliament.
NSW Industrial Relations Minister John Della Bosca said both measures were needed to “minimise disruption” to the summit of world leaders, which will culminate in Sydney’s CBD on September 8-9…
The passage of the Police Powers Act is made passing reference to in the following article, one concerning trumped-up charges of assault; an occurence as rare as large policemen assaulting small female protesters.
Court dimisses charges against Cheney protester
Edmund Tadros
Sydney Morning Herald
June 27, 2007A Sydney court has dismissed charges against a “very petite” female protester accused of assaulting a “fit, healthy and large police officer” during a demonstration about the February visit of US Vice-President Dick Cheney.
…, 21 of Newtown, was yesterday found not guilty of assault, resisting arrest and obstructing an officer during the February 23 protest…
Senior Constable John Oliver told Downing Centre Local Court that just after 9am he had been ordered to arrest two protesters, known as the Tranny Cops [see below], accused of impersonating police…
And that’s pretty much it as far as the corporate/state media sector is concerned (see also Green Left). The “I hope no bad people show up” clauses:
Clause 24 provides that certain persons (excludable persons) may be excluded from APEC security areas. These persons include persons who have failed, without lawful excuse or special justification, to comply with requirements made of the persons under the proposed Act. Another category of excludable persons are persons who are named in an excluded persons list prepared under proposed section 26.
Clause 25 enables a police officer to exclude and remove persons from a restricted area if they fail to comply with a request made of them under the proposed Act to identify themselves. It also enables persons to be excluded from such an area if they possess or have in their control prohibited items without special justification or if they are in the area without special justification…
Clause 26 enables the Commissioner of Police to prepare one or more lists of persons that the Commissioner is satisfied are persons who would pose serious threats to the safety of persons or property (or both) in an APEC security area during the APEC period.
The thin blue moustachioed line… all that stands between us and government (is) chaos (anarchy is order). As the old saying goes, ‘Thank Godwin for the Trannys!’
