AUSTRALIA — Defence Legislation Amendment (Enhancement of Defence Force response to Emergencies) Bill, 2020
A Bill to enable use of foreign troops or foreign police in Australian “emergencies” is called the “Defence Legislation Amendment (Enhancement of Defence Force response to Emergencies) Bill, 2020”.
“The legislation includes the use of foreign military forces and foreign police to assist in “emergencies”. In addition the legislation provide immunity from civil or criminal prosecution to the defence forces including foreign military, for their actions in these “emergencies”.
“Human Rights Statement “does not address public rights that may well be infringed under these provisions.” The proposed immunities would also extend to “foreign military and police forces”, suggesting more than a cheerful nod of approval to those nuclear armed allies across the pond. Under the cover of stealth and reliable apathy, powers have been vested in Australia’s military and ministerial authorities with scant debate and even less scrutiny. As law academic Michael Head points out with noticeable alarm, powers calling out the Australian Defence Force to deal with, for instance, “domestic violence”, or likely dangers to “declared infrastructure” are left undefined. Vagueness bedevils the legislation, passed ostensibly to protect the populace against terrorist attacks. “Once deployed, military personnel can exercise extraordinary powers over civilians, overturning basic legal and democratic rights.”
“the next step towards the overall goals of complete implementation of the UN Agenda 2030 doctrine.”