Hi Poirot,

Yes, put people on trial who are suspected of aiding terrorists, no probs.

But let's imagine for a moment, hypothetically: a bloke in Barcaldine or Bendigo or Burracoppin, kills another bloke and hacks his head off for no particular reason; his son holds the head up for photos; his mother does nothing.

I would respectfully suggest that the police may regard these actions as offences, at least the killing, and perhaps the hacking of the head off. Social services may launch multiple and interminable investigations to determine whether or not some sort of disturbance has occurred which may or may not impact on the children's well-being and of course decide that it hasn't.

Perhaps, as you might lightly suggest, nothing would come of it, perhaps a $ 50 fine.

So perhaps a woman who goes to a war-zone should have completely free travel rights to go and come as she pleases. Perhaps she should be able to expose her children to the rough and tumble of real life in other countries, it might strengthen their character, after all. Australian kids need that. Perhaps you're right to slag Abbott and his ministers, what do they know, after all ?

I'm puzzled why pseudo-leftists feel the need to defend the most vile reactionaries. I've been thinking that it may because of a similar underlying craving for authoritarian control, certainty, direction, submission. Could that be it, Poirot ?

Joe

I was reading my fave paper again today, The Guardian, and as usual it tells it as it is, and not the world according to paranoid anti-Muslim worry-worts!

One paragraph particularly amused me:
"Not to mention the apparent contradiction of cancelling the citizenship of those already fighting overseas so they don’t come back at the same time as Australians are being urged to call the national security hotline with information about anyone planning to travel to the conflict zones so they can be prevented from leaving."

Isn't that the truth?

My feeling is that Abbott, and his other Islamophobe good Ol' boys, are using this supposed threat to Australia as a smokescreen to keep the heat off the real issues, like taking money off the poorest people in our society (pensioners and the disabled).

"I'm puzzled why pseudo-leftists feel the need to defend the most vile reactionaries...."

Nice straw man, Loudy....I wasn't defending anyone - merely pointing out the latest brain fart from our stoooopid PM.

We have a judicial system and courts of law...

At least, for the time being.

Suseonline,
I wish you could tell the truth sometimes.
My wife and I are pensioners and we received a rise in our pensions just last week. Where is your evidence for your claim?

Gee Josephus, have you been living under a rock or something?

Check out the Abbott's budget plans for poor part-pensioners that are yet to come.
All the pensioners I know are worried about the coming pension cuts and loss of benefits they currently enjoy.

You really should keep abreast of the political news.

Meanwhile, Abbott is in trouble with his own senior ministers with his scheme to 'strip' Australian citizenship from people overseas, without trial.

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/tony-abbott-rolled-by-his-own-ministers-over-stripping-terrorists-of-citizenship-20150529-ghcuxf.html

He never even informed his foreign minister of the supposed details of his plans before having his press team 'leak' the vague info to the next morning's paper!
Trouble in paradise?

Susie said;
are using this supposed threat to Australia as a
smokescreen to keep the heat off the real issues,

Supposed threat ? Are you kidding. One of their most recent threats
is to interrupt the supply of fuel to Australia.
It would not take much effort to put that into action.
A small number of RPGs would do the job.
The upshot would be at worse starvation for all Australians.
If you think that is an exaggeration then you do not understand the true situation.