Rotovia-
06-10-2005, 06:46
Now it's a little know fact that during WWI the State of Queensland and the Commonwealth of Australia were in a min-civil war of soughts.
It all started because Queenslanders being the lazy, sunloving people we are were pissed off about conscription and the federal government had made it illegal to complain about it. (For those wondering if this is against free speech, it's not. Australia has no Bill of Rights and the federal government has a long history of making it illegal to protest against unfair laws. The most recent of which being the ASIO Act. Which I won't call a steaming pile of tyranical crap of Dubya proportions, because that could land me in jail)
Getting back on track, the Premier of Queensland then, in a stroke of genius (arguable a sunstroke of genius) envoked parliamentary privilige. This rule allowd that a Member of Parliament can say anything they want and cannot be prosecuted for it. You could threaten to murder a fellow MP and wear their skin as a suit and there's nothign they could do.
Anyway, he initiated a debate on the subject and then took it one step further. Having the Union Press publish copies of the Hansard. Australia Law allows the free distribution of the Hansard of Parliament (a report of all debates), effectively bypassing the ban on discussion conscription.
Now, understanably upset, the Prime Minister authorised the Censor General to raid the Union Press House with federal troops and halt distribution. The Premier then ordered state troops defend the Union Press and blockade Parliament from the federal troops and a series of ensuing battles saw federal troops outed from Queensland and Prime Minister banned from the state.
After all that, my point is that Queensland is the most kick ass state ever and need to do far more Constitutionally illegal federal arsekicking.
It all started because Queenslanders being the lazy, sunloving people we are were pissed off about conscription and the federal government had made it illegal to complain about it. (For those wondering if this is against free speech, it's not. Australia has no Bill of Rights and the federal government has a long history of making it illegal to protest against unfair laws. The most recent of which being the ASIO Act. Which I won't call a steaming pile of tyranical crap of Dubya proportions, because that could land me in jail)
Getting back on track, the Premier of Queensland then, in a stroke of genius (arguable a sunstroke of genius) envoked parliamentary privilige. This rule allowd that a Member of Parliament can say anything they want and cannot be prosecuted for it. You could threaten to murder a fellow MP and wear their skin as a suit and there's nothign they could do.
Anyway, he initiated a debate on the subject and then took it one step further. Having the Union Press publish copies of the Hansard. Australia Law allows the free distribution of the Hansard of Parliament (a report of all debates), effectively bypassing the ban on discussion conscription.
Now, understanably upset, the Prime Minister authorised the Censor General to raid the Union Press House with federal troops and halt distribution. The Premier then ordered state troops defend the Union Press and blockade Parliament from the federal troops and a series of ensuing battles saw federal troops outed from Queensland and Prime Minister banned from the state.
After all that, my point is that Queensland is the most kick ass state ever and need to do far more Constitutionally illegal federal arsekicking.