The rubbish that I read in this article and in the posted comments are truely amazing. The Parliament, with by bi-partizan support have passed these laws. They have done so because it is the overriding duty of the national government is to look after the safety of its citizens. In times of national danger, such as we have with the threat of Terrorism, it may be necessary to diminish some personal freedoms temporarily in order to achieve the degree of safety that is required of the national government. This would be true of a national government of any political persuation.

If this matter goes to the High Court, so be it. Should they find the Act unconstitutional it will be up to the Parliament to pass legislation that has the same effect within the Constitution.

We need this type of law. Thank heaven our legislators take their responsibilities seriously and don't get bogged down in the the sort of tripe that many contributors to this page write about.

The control orders issue would be bad enogh in itself. Add the nauseating example of the High Court upholding Costello's suppression of access to basic economic data in throwing out the FOI case brought on by an "Australian " journalist, and we have suffered as tragic a week as could ever be imagined in the history of this once-democratic country.
We now see the consequences of Howard's undermining and politicisation of the Court through the stacking of its membership with yes men and stooges. The legal system is stuffed in the same way the ABC was stuffed: by the removal of independent thinkers in favour of Roland Freisler party lackey types like Dyson Heydon.
Arms raised in homage of the new Reichministry. Achtung!
Nor does the idiot decision by Iemma in promoting double jeopardy for capital court cases in NSW, help.