Absolutely essential to democracy is that information is fully and freely available and the freedom to decide for oneself. This essential ingredient of democracy is missing in Australia. I am being told, (or not told) by Scott Morrison what I am supposed to know. Not being told is in many ways worse than being lied to. At least with a lie there is the chance of discovering the truth, but with censorship there isn’t even the hint of what I am not being told. Morrison, what are you hiding?
What is the Australian Navy up to? What exactly is Operation Sovereign Borders? Why are Australian military forces being used in what is a civilian situation? Do we have a military force trying to invade us from the sea? Is there any suggestion that this is an armed invasion? Why does the Navy need to buy lifeboats? What is it that Morrison is doing that is secret and hidden behind the euphemism ‘operational matters?’ What is it about the ‘operation’ that has to be kept from the Australian Public? What disgusting things are you doing in our name?
I do not expect Scott Morrison to answer these questions. That would be too close to democracy for the Abbott government to understand.
