Tag: australia

Victorian Government Pushes New Bill to Detain ‘Conspiracy Theorists,’ Anti-Lockdown Protesters, and Families

The Victorian government will debate a new bill in the State Parliament this week which would hand authorities the power to forcibly detain “conspiracy theorists” and people suspected to likely spread coronavirus, such as anti-lockdown protesters and their close contacts.

If passed, the Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Bill will allow the state to detain anyone they suspect of being “high risk” or likely to negligently spread COVID-19, either if they have the virus or have been in contact with an infected person.

According to The Age, a state government spokesman said the rule could be applied to “conspiracy theorists who refuse to self-isolate or severely drug-affected or mentally impaired people who do not have the capacity to quarantine.”

Those detained could then be placed in quarantine facilities, such as hotels, where they can be monitored by authorities.

On Sunday police fined 200 people and made 74 arrests during an anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne. Could this bill lead to the mass-forced quarantining of similar anti-lockdown protesters?

Keep reading

Australia Goes Full Fascist: State Issues First Ankle Tracker for Quarantine Violator

This week, Australia took its burgeoning fascist police state to a new level, with officials in Western Australia now issuing electronic ankle bracelets and forced isolation in specially designated hotels to anyone it believes has violated the new raft of controversial new ‘COVID laws.’

A 33-year-old woman from Perth in Western Australia has become the first person to be fitted with the state’s new electronic monitoring bracelet, after allegedly violating new COVID quarantine rules imposed on the population.

According to police reports, the woman arrived home from New South Wales state on September 1st, and was then directed to ‘self-isolate’ in her Perth home for 14 days as part of Australia’s new mandatory quarantine system.

She was then caught by agents working with the state’s newly deputised COVID enforcement force known as the “Self-Quarantine Assurance Team.” Agents claim they were only conducting a “routine check” when they discovered two men visiting the woman at her own house. Agents then raised the alarm to central office who then promptly ordered the woman be removed from her home and placed in a specially designated hotel which is being used by the state as a makeshift isolation facility where she would be tagged and surveilled for a period of two weeks.

On top of the forced detention, the woman was issued with a punitive $1,000 AUD fine for interacting with the two men during her initial home quarantine order.

Keep reading

Coronavirus: Pregnant Victorian woman filmed arrest

A pregnant anti-lockdown protester has live-streamed her arrest on social media and been charged for allegedly inciting a protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Ballarat’s CBD.

The video on the woman’s Facebook page had already been viewed more than 1.4 million times in the space of four hours by Wednesday night, with comments describing the scenes as “absolutely disgusting”.

“What the actual f***!” one person wrote, echoing many others.

Detectives descended on the woman’s Miners Rest home today, armed with a search warrant, after they became aware of a “prohibited gathering” scheduled to take place in the regional Victorian city this Saturday.

Officers raided the 28-year-old’s home and seized her mobile phone and computer equipment, after she greeted them at the door in pink pyjamas.

Upon being told she was going to be arrested, the woman began to cry and told officers she would “happily” delete her social media posts, with her Facebook page reportedly containing links to a “peaceful, freedom day” protest scheduled for the weekend.

“The government has gone to extreme measures and are using scare tactics through the media to prevent the Melbourne protest,” the event’s description said.

Keep reading

‘Major victory’ for paedophiles as baffling law is passed that could see rape and sexual assault victims thrown into JAIL just for telling their stories

Victorian sexual assault survivors could be jailed for up to four months or face fines exceeding $3000 for telling their stories using their real names. 

The Judicial Proceedings Reports Act was changed in February, prohibiting victims from identifying themselves publicly if their attacker has been found guilty. 

The new law applies retrospectively, meaning victims who have lawfully spoken out previously are now censored from speaking out publicly. Media outlets who defy the law can also be prosecuted and face fines of up to $8,000. 

The only way for victims to identify themselves and tell their stories is to obtain a court order – which is not only time consuming, but would cost more than $10,000 in legal fees. 

Keep reading

Perth woman who hid in truck to enter WA from Victoria cops harshest penalty yet

A Perth woman who hid in a Victorian truck to sneak into Western Australia without quarantining has been jailed for six months, the toughest penalty handed down for the charge since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Asher Van Der Sanden, 28, was sentenced in Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday for her “deceitful and dishonest” conduct after hiding in a car within a truck to pass through the border at Eucla on August 3 or 4.

Keep reading

Coronavirus Victoria: Daniel Andrews announces permit system for Melbourne

Daniel Andrews has announced a permit system for Greater Melbourne, requiring people to show papers to authorities when they’re out and about for legitimate work reasons.

The move comes as the capital enters a strict stage four lockdown in a bid to slow the rapid spread of coronavirus, with 439 new cases recorded today.

Melbourne is the subject of a nightly curfew between 8pm and 5am, with only essential workers and those seeking or providing care able to leave their homes.

From midnight on Wednesday, a range of non-essential businesses will cease operating.

During the day, people can only go out if it’s absolutely necessary, such as buying groceries, and cannot travel more than 5km from their home.

Mr Andrews today detailed the permit system covering Melbourne, with a particular focus on workers whose industries are still operating, such as supermarkets.

Keep reading