Australia's Surveillance Fetish Grows...

Having lived in Australia for a more than a few years, it took me some time to pin down what it is about them that annoys me and many other expats in Tokyo.

It it this: they Luuurv the moral superiority high-ground. They exist in conversations like Zombies only for the moment when their eyes can blaze with manic zealotry as they leap in and lecture you on what particularly inhumane remark you're responsible for.

But in practice Australia has been turning over the last 20 years into a Fascist Nanny State where the slightest deviation from "norm" puts you on the government books.

Web spies monitor activists online for police, attorney-general - report

November 26, 2008 08:45am

A PRIVATE intelligence company has been engaged by police to secretly monitor internet and email use by activist and protest groups, a report says.

The company was hired to monitor and report on the internet activities of anti-war campaigners, animal rights activists, environmental campaigners, and other protest groups, Fairfax Media reported.

It was hired by Victorian Police, the Australian Federal Police and the federal Attorney-General's department.

The Melbourne-based firm has for the past five years monitored websites, online chat rooms, social networking sites, email lists and bulletin boards, the report said.

It has gathered intelligence on planned protests and other activities, and many of those on the watch list have broken no laws, the report said.