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Wanneer: 14/07/2018 - 05:32

The Turnbull Government recently passed new police state laws that threaten our movement's ability to campaign for a fair, flourishing and just Australia. Actions that merely harm the government's reputation on political or economic matters can now be prosecuted as serious national security offences. So peaceful blockades of Adani coal operations, or exposing the truth about child abuse on Nauru to the UN, could carry prison sentences of up to 25 years.

The Turnbull Government recently passed new police state laws that threaten our movement's ability to campaign for a fair, flourishing and just Australia.1,2 Actions that merely harm the government's reputation on political or economic matters can now be prosecuted as serious national security offences. So peaceful blockades of Adani coal operations, or exposing the truth about child abuse on Nauru to the UN, could carry prison sentences of up to 25 years.3 Don't think they'll do it? Well, in what independent MP Andrew Wilkie has called "an act of bastardry", the Turnbull Government just authorised the prosecution of 'Witness K' and their lawyer for exposing potentially illegal actions by the Howard Government.4,5

By GetUp!

We haven't seen anything like this before.

The Turnbull Government recently passed new police state laws that threaten our movement's ability to campaign for a fair, flourishing and just Australia.1,2

Actions that merely harm the government's reputation on political or economic matters can now be prosecuted as serious national security offences. So peaceful blockades of Adani coal operations, or exposing the truth about child abuse on Nauru to the UN, could carry prison sentences of up to 25 years.3

Don't think they'll do it? Well, in what independent MP Andrew Wilkie has called "an act of bastardry", the Turnbull Government just authorised the prosecution of 'Witness K' and their lawyer for exposing potentially illegal actions by the Howard Government.4,5

It's all having a huge chilling effect on GetUp's campaign plans. That's why today all of us, as GetUp's lead campaigners, are taking the unusual step of contacting you, together.

We urgently need to build up our people-powered Civil Defence Fund to get the best, ongoing legal advice on how these new anti-democratic laws apply to our campaigns. But it doesn't stop there, because if we can gather enough ongoing support we're going to prepare for a potential constitutional challenge – that could see these laws struck down in the High Court.

But in order to take on the power of a government hell bent on suppressing truth and dissent we need a fresh new tide of members to join our GetUp Crew, who make a weekly contribution to support our work.

Can you help fund this legal fight by joining the GetUp Crew with a regular, weekly donation to our Civil Defence Fund?

Last night we held frantic teleconferences with whistleblowers and activists who want to shine a light on the abuse of children in Australia's detention camps on Nauru. The question we asked each other was: could we face a 25 year prison sentence for doing so?

And if Stop Adani activists blockade roads to coal ports or mines, Attorney-General Christian Porter may decide to prosecute this peaceful act of protest as "sabotage" – punishable by up to 7 years behind bars. He could do the same for protests against the secretive TPP trade deal, breaches of international law or even people protesting against Australia going to war.6

This is the same Christian Porter who authorised the prosecution of Witness K, and their lawyer, for exposing the Howard Government's dodgy spying operation against East Timor, to swindle the impoverished nation out of billions in natural resources.

That's why we need to build up a people-powered fund to give us access to the best legal firepower available, to ensure these laws don't erode our ability to campaign, or indeed our democracy.

We urgently need to know how these new anti-democratic laws could impact our campaigns. And we have a legal brief ready to put into the hands of a high-powered law firm with a track record of beating back abuse of government power.

We're also in this fight for the long haul. We're ready to talk to some of the best barristers in the nation about a possible constitutional challenge. Can you imagine being part of a landmark High Court case to defend the freedom of political speech?

But we're up against the full might of a Federal Government that's on a mission to bully, silence and raze its political opponents to the ground. We can't do any of this without a brave new tide of supporters joining our GetUp Crew.

Thank you for everything you do,

Paul – National Director, Shen – Human Rights, Sam – Environmental Justice, Mim – Environmental Justice, Django – Economic Fairness, and Ruby – Democracy, for the entire GetUp team

References
[1] Labor and Coalition agree on espionage laws that critics fear would 'criminalise' journalism, The Guardian, 5 June 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/05/major-parties-agr...

[2] Espionage bill could make some protests criminal acts, GetUp says, The Guardian, 26 June 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/26/espionage-bill-co...
[3] National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Bill 2017https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Se...
[4] East Timor bugging prosecution 'heartbreaking', lawyer Bernard Collaery says, ABC 7:30 Report, 11 July 2018 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-11/east-timor-bugging-prosecution-hea...
[5] Government looks to jail lawyer and former agent in staggering attack on free speech, Crikey, 28 June 2018 https://www.crikey.com.au/?daily_insider=28-6-18#article_630835
[6] Criminalising Dissent: Turnbull's Attack on Protesters and Journalists, Paul Gregoire , Sydney Criminal Lawyers, 5 July 2018 https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/criminalising-dissent-turn...

GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations.

Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders - past, present and future - and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia and the GetUp community.

Authorised by Paul Oosting, Level 14, 338 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000.