Anti-terror laws put Australia on a dangerous path

Just waiting for the ABC to pick up what the Sydney Anglicans think about this...

The Federal Government's anti-terror legislation puts Australia on a dangerous path according to the Uniting Church President, the Reverend Dr. Dean Drayton.

"While every Government has a responsibility to protect itscitizens, these new laws send a clear message that the only way to do this is to erode people's rights. They have the potential to create an atmosphere of fear and distrust in Australia.

"We are concerned the Government has failed to allow adequate time for public discussion and debate about the proposed laws. It is unacceptable that the community is being told to accept measures that radically curtail civil liberties without widespread and substantial consultation."

I doubt if anyone would accept "measures that radically curtail to civil liberties" even with "widespread and substantial consultation", but that's just me. "Widespread and substantial consultation" may be the democratic and the UCA way to go, but that doesn't make it a better way to decide how to help us accept radically curtailed civil liberties.