Brisbane - return to a police state?
Brisbane has had a long history of curfews (from it's start as a prison colony in the 1850's through to the Joh era ending in the early 90's) and it looks like we're returning to our police state roots.
From the State Govt's recent report: Brisbane Safety Action Plan these are the key points that will affect most of us:
I think it's interesting that there is an increase in safety requirements at a time when we have the international terror-phobia, and that it's in response to a percieved increase in violence in clubs and the inner city. As my brother says, he's terrified walking down the city mall at 2 am in the morning because the empty streets are *so* scary. I'm not out weekends, mostly, but even when I go out we pretty much go to one or two places and stick for the night - *puts on old-goth hat* gone are the days when we had three clubs in a night followed by the Mass until sunrise. So on one level this doesn't bug me too much - I'm more concerned by the passport thing which sounds like a rort for funding even though it isn't the state/police force that gets the revenue from that.
Which leads me nicely to comment on the increase in police presence on our streets fining people over, wait for it, jay walking. I've seen a ticket someone has, I've heard stories (particularly the amusing story where one of my friends watched the cops give tickets until the end of their shift when they jaywalked right across that there street they had been watching). And mostly it amuses me that this is where they're getting there revenue - maybe they've employed too many police to enforce the Safety Action Plan and need to find a funding source. *Be warned - they are out there, and they're waiting for you to cross the street.*
There's also a lot of RBT and speeding cops out - they've got these nifty gadgets that one cop holds while the other one stands around (for moral support?) and point at cars to tell speeding - the cars aren't working so well, everyone knows where they hide. *Wir haben die technologische.*
So there's more police presence out at the moment, and they're using our safety as the excuse. I'm not saying that there isn't violence, just that it's probably no different than it has been for the last few years and it's a useful media tool to get us to support a particular agenda. Conservative governments tend to lead to police states and thought control, at least in our Brisbane/Queensland-based experience.
I'm curious: are people being harrassed again for wearing too much black? What about club/city violence? Does this even mean anything at all?
Links:
Brisbane Safety Action Plan
From the State Govt's recent report: Brisbane Safety Action Plan these are the key points that will affect most of us:
1. 3AM lockouts - if you aren't in the pub before 3AM you won't get in.There are rumours that we'll all have to get passports to take as ID to clubs - if anyone can give me an actual source for this I'd appreciate it - I can't find anything on the city council site or the liquor association of qld (state regulatory body thing).
2. No free drink or ultra discount promotions
3. More police better targeted
4. More public transport
5. More surveilance including 100,000 for King George Square (kinder-goth beware!
I think it's interesting that there is an increase in safety requirements at a time when we have the international terror-phobia, and that it's in response to a percieved increase in violence in clubs and the inner city. As my brother says, he's terrified walking down the city mall at 2 am in the morning because the empty streets are *so* scary. I'm not out weekends, mostly, but even when I go out we pretty much go to one or two places and stick for the night - *puts on old-goth hat* gone are the days when we had three clubs in a night followed by the Mass until sunrise. So on one level this doesn't bug me too much - I'm more concerned by the passport thing which sounds like a rort for funding even though it isn't the state/police force that gets the revenue from that.
Which leads me nicely to comment on the increase in police presence on our streets fining people over, wait for it, jay walking. I've seen a ticket someone has, I've heard stories (particularly the amusing story where one of my friends watched the cops give tickets until the end of their shift when they jaywalked right across that there street they had been watching). And mostly it amuses me that this is where they're getting there revenue - maybe they've employed too many police to enforce the Safety Action Plan and need to find a funding source. *Be warned - they are out there, and they're waiting for you to cross the street.*
There's also a lot of RBT and speeding cops out - they've got these nifty gadgets that one cop holds while the other one stands around (for moral support?) and point at cars to tell speeding - the cars aren't working so well, everyone knows where they hide. *Wir haben die technologische.*
So there's more police presence out at the moment, and they're using our safety as the excuse. I'm not saying that there isn't violence, just that it's probably no different than it has been for the last few years and it's a useful media tool to get us to support a particular agenda. Conservative governments tend to lead to police states and thought control, at least in our Brisbane/Queensland-based experience.
I'm curious: are people being harrassed again for wearing too much black? What about club/city violence? Does this even mean anything at all?
Links:
Brisbane Safety Action Plan
posted by Chani Asha at 7:13 pm
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