Yes George Williams, we need a Bill of Rights that is a legal document with teeth. Why is it that the government can whack out legislation with the potential to do great harm and instill fear in those who oppose their policies in no time, but can't find the energy or resources to protect our freedom of speech or gaurantee fair treatment? They can snatch you off the street folks. John Howard and his crew have used the threat of terrorism to give ASIO (public servants) powers that, I think, go way outside those of a true democracy.
Remember only about 10,000 people voted for Howard to represent Bennilong and then only a handful of Liberals voted him in to lead Australia. Maybe as well as a Bill Of Rights we need to revue the process where our virtual "President" claims, I think an improperly so-called, mandate with so few actual citizens' votes.

Come off it George. You know very well that a bill of rights will greatly reduce democracy in this country and place an immense amount of power in the hands of the 7 unelected High Court judges. You must be familiar with James Allan's paper published in the Federal Law Review:
http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/disp.pl/au/journals/FedLRev/2002/20.html?query=%22judge+in+the+land%22

With the current composition of the High COurt this is not a problem, but things can change, and we may end up with a bench full of Michael Kirbys. But then that's exactly what you want isn't it George...?

An Australian Bill of rights need only do one thing to be effective .... guarantee public access to forums such as this in all major media outlets. This country has been ruled by media Barons since the Rum Corps left, if indeed they ever left at all.
Believe me, they guard their empires with ferocity and this is the greatest challenge to human rights and even democracy itself in Australia today.

This privilege and right of public access to media forums carries no high court or legal burden. As long as we can voice our opinions in media, we know we have a de facto bill of rights.

To have human rights, we the Australian people only need to be allowed to stand shoulder to shoulder in opinions with all the editors of the day and their master's voices, on all the important and even the not so important issues of the day.

There is an old historical saying: "A man who is not allowed to speak his mind in equal measure to any other and so that all can hear, is just a slave"

What the lawyers don't like about our decisive and courageous reaction to terrorists is that ,it takes the legal disease out of the equation and gives us once again the potence and control over our destinies.

Under our present legal system many criminals are freed to re-offend at will.If society realises that we could evolve a cheaper more effective system ,their ruse of their necessity will be laid bare.

Lawyers constantly create the need for their own existence and are the reason for many of our social and economic ills.
Terrorism may well be the catalyst that frees us from the clutches of money grubbing lawyers.

Neither the government, the judges, the lawyers, the big corporations nor the media are to blame for the problems with our laws and society; it is us. The everyday person too busy with their everyday life to take notice of what is going on around them until it's too late.

Remember if we install a government and then don't tell them to do the job we want; they'll do as they please, same as any other person with any power. If you give someone a job then you have a responsibility to make sure they do it right. Same with corporations we endorse what they do by buying their products and services without scrutiny.

Our system gives us power to affect change, only on masse however. So get out there read, listen, talk to each other and voice your opinion, challenge each other respectfully and listen to each other graciously; especially with people who think the opposite to you. We are all where we are because of the journey we have taken. Each person's journey is valid and must be validated so that they can keep travelling the journey, adding to their experiences and modifying their opinion. That's the best way to find a solution that suits everyone; that's how to find common ground.

Thankyou to all the people who contribute to the forum, keep it up and keep the discussion going. Above all strive against apathy and studied ignorance; express your opinions and welcome the opinions of others.

In fact Arjay, the “decisive and courageous reaction” has diminished our level of control over our own destinies and given the authorities potence and control over us; however, you might take some comfort in the concept, should you be mysteriously detained for investigation, that your interrogators will share your view of lawyers.