Actually Oliver police are more a brotherhood.
Having been one I wouldnt call them a club/gang culture.
Most cops are dedicated.
Only a small number are corrupt.
The big problem is that of a national problem called "dont dob your mates in".
Not exposing service thuggery stems out of that.
The loss of freedoms, which the press is so uppity about of late, is a global engineering by the antichrists world government...even though the guy hasnt appeared yet.
The media added to the secrecy problem connected to the quiet loss of freedoms by keeping their mouths shut when they should have openned them when they saw the media magnate and what he was wanted suppressed.

Keep the mind fix that the problem with "police state" is global.
Its not regional.
Terrorism is the cover under which world government will bring in its laws...and a global ID system.
Much civil unrest is yet to come connected to microchipping the global population..."so no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls of wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is a mans number. His number is 666"...Revelation 13:16018/14:9-11.
Theres no appearance of the beast yet but he will be along soon.
Then we can calculate the number of his name, probably in Roman numerals, and we will see who he is.

Our Leaders are trying to drag us into the 21st Century to be part of the Global Community instead of being the cultural backwater of the past that the rest of the world didn't recognize.

And, a variety of International Events gives Australia prominance on the World Scene. It also brings tourists into the country who contribute to our economy.

But hey, we don't need it, do we?

Why have Govt. Head of State Meetings?
Why have the Queen's (or other Royalty) visits?
Why have Football Matches? (they're also a religion to some)?
Why have International Cricket?
Why the Melbourne Cup?
Why New Year's Eve Celebrations in cities and on the Harbour?
Why the Grand Prix?
Why have World Leader visits (including the Dalai Lama)?

Why have anything at all?

Perhaps a good touch point for us all on the issue of the special protection for the event would be to consider the same protections for the gay and lesbian mardi gras.

For each of our concerns (or lack of concern) we could ask - "how would I feel about this if it applied to the gay and lesbian mardi gras?"

One difference exists which does complicate the issue, the mardi gras is an annual event, a papal visit to Australia is much less common.

R0bert

Yes Steel it does appear to be an erosion of civil liberties. Perhaps there may be a context as Foxy suggests but my call is the same as yours without the anti-police thing. As CJ said it provides "an excuse for the ever-increasing erosion of civil liberties that appears to be the hallmark of 21st century life."

The irony that it should be associated with an event related to a Christian group might be considered comical if you want to salvage something. I have never heard of annoyance being actionable outside of hate crime legislation. Normally the religious right would be horrified with such an erosion of liberties because it makes their life difficult eg. legal compulsion to refrain from publically quoting anti-gay scripture. Here however there is some division in the ranks due to the reversal of context.

Causing annoyance is absolutely ridiculous as it is far too open to abuse by those who can claim annoyance (as Robert pointed out). Although the offensive stuff relates to a particular event it sets an unfortunate precedent that could have an "edge of the wedge" effect.

Robert,

Are you agreeing with Foxy that it is analogous to the Olympic Games? What about the potential for abuse that you seemed to allude to if it really did get extended farther and farther?