Sedition in Australia II

Via John Quiggin: "writer and outlaw" Chas Savage has an excellent piece in yesterday's Age in which he urges opposition to John Howard's proposed revival of sedition by carefully and willfully violating every clause of the law. He urges hatred and contempt towards the sovereign and disaffection towards the constitution, government, and both houses of the Australian Parliament. While he disclaims any pretence of good faith, it is not without good reason; as he points out:

Under this constitution a High Court can rule that a man, charged with and guilty of no crime, can be locked up indefinitely. Under this constitution, rights are left to the mercy of predators such as Howard and expedient windbags like Beazley. The Australian constitution enables the government to spend without constraint to serve its own political interest. As such, it deserves the disaffection of decent, democratic people.

Howard's law would prevent people from saying things like that, on pain of seven years imprisonment. The fact that the Australian government is even considering such a law is reason to hold it in contempt.