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GLOBAL NEWS First Optional Protocol to the International | (Refer to the front page of The Australian, | tell them what standards of behaviour WE Covenant on Civil and Political Rights | Jan 22nd 1992). require of them. (ICCPR). This is a United Nations inspired This article implies that, not only was Australia has a Bill of Rights, plus the ‘treaty’, otherwise known as, and promoted | Peter Sawyer correct in his allegations, but | Magna Carta, which is also a Bill of Rights. by the UN as, “a universal declaration of | that the Human Rights Commissioner, an | These documents are in force “forever” and human rights". This “Protocol” was | ynelected bureaucrat, has the power to | “hence forth". They cannot be rewritten or designed to come into effect on Christmas | override the will of the Australian people, as | repealed by the Queen or the Governor Day 1991, conveniently placed so as to avoid expressed by their duly elected | General, or by the Parliament. They can public or government debate maybe? representatives! only be replaced if we, the people, vote at a After putting the story to air, Peter sat A Christmas present from the New World | Referendum to do so, down and telephoned just eight people, to let | Order perhaps? What follows is an extract from a letter them know the hotline had been updated. (Inside News is available for $30.00 for from Gary Johns MP, Federal Member for (This was done because the service had not | iy iccueg [pensioners $25.00] from PO Box Petrie, dated 20th November "91, addressed been updated for some time, and obviously 311, Maleny Qld 4552. Australia) to Mr P. Hunter of Albany Creek, Qld. interest would have dropped off), He also : "I have sought advice in this matter from asked that those people with fax machines let WHAT IS THE BILL OF RIGHTS? the office of the Attorney General who others know via that medium, and to faxhim | | Many readers would have no doubt by | advises that the 1688 Bill of Rights has if they wanted more information. now that something happened early this year | never been applicable to Australia and is The result was stupendous. It created | which involved something called “A Bill or | not part of our constitution. Nor can it be uproar. By Monday there were so many | Right". made binding under any Westminster incoming calls to the Inside Hotline [0055 A Bill of Rights is a set of rules, imposed | System of Government." 63307], that the 0055 leasing service | on the Crown and on the Parliament, as laid For any Attorney General to assert that the computer was jammed. (This computer can | down in law by the people. It is put in force | Bill of Rights has never been applicable is handle 300 simultaneous incoming calls!) | to control the way in which police, military | either madness or is part of a hidden agenda Between lpm Monday afternoon and 6am | and public servants are used against the | to rework Australia's constitutional Wednesday morning, over 14,000 people had | people. A Bill of Rights can also be used to | framework by the major political parties. called and listened to the message, and | overturn oppressive laws, unjust taxes, If the Bill of Rights (1688) is not part of politicians all over the country were being | undue political force and scizure of property. | our law then neither are the other Acts and called for explanations. He received over a Under our present laws, politicians DO | Bills listed in The Imperial Applications Act quarter of a kilometre of faxed requests for | NOT present us with a Bill of Rights and | (see list below). I would love to know what more information! then advise us that we have now got it. WE | your local “pollie" has to say about this! The sory created « fume. Firat came « [Ga Imperial Acts Application Act, 1984, No. 70 denial that any such document had been signed. Then an admission that it had been FIRST SCHEDULE signed, but that it did not mean what Peter IMPERIAL ENACTMENTS CONTINUED IN FORCE Sawyer claimed. It became quite obvious {s. 5] maibase shea he “S0Y, est ass oF even (like the Attorney General below) were confused about Australia's constitutional makeup. The predictable lies and defamatory remarks about Peter Sawyer got quickly published by cheap journalists who also did not bother to check anything beforehand. Then on top of all this, that very same “Bill of Rights" which our politicians said was not applicable to anything inside | Australia, was used to squash a proposed legislative change by the Western Australian government to deal with juvenile offenders. (1297) 25 Edward | c, 29 Magna Carta (1640) 16 Charles Ic. 10 The Habeas Corpus Act, 1640, s. 6 (1679) 31 Charles IIc. 2 The Habeas Corpus Act, 1679, ss. 1-8, 11, 15-19 (1688) 1'William & Mary Sess. 2c. 2 The Bill of Rights (1698) 11 William Ill c. 7 The Piracy Act, 1698 (1700) 12 & 13 William Ill c. 2 The Act of Settlement (1702) 1 Anne c, 2 The Demise of Crown Act, 1702, s. 4 (1702) 1 Anne St. 2c. 21 The Treason Act, 1702, s. 3 (1707) 6 Anne c. 41 The Succession to Crown Act, 1707, s. 9 (1750) 24 George Il c. 23 The Calendar (New Style) Act, 1750 d 772) 12 George Ill c. 11 The Royal Marriages Act, 1772 ss. 1 and 2 (1816) 56 George Ill c. 100 The Habeas Corpus Act, 1816 NEXUS¢9 APRIL-MAY 1992 WHAT IS THE BILL OF RIGHTS?