back to article Australian SigInt spooks won't get power to spy on locals

On the weekend, Australian government figures denied a plan to give the country's signal-intelligence spooks power to spy on Australian citizens, but yesterday, Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton denied and endorsed the suggestion. The official denials of discussions to move the Australian Signals Directorate into the already- …

  1. Rustbucket

    Be Afraid

    The scary thing is that Dutton could be the Liberal's next candidate for leader and maybe Prime Minister.

    1. GrumpyOldBloke

      Re: Be Afraid

      Hopefully the work being done by Get-Up will put an end to that horror scenario.

      However, the small government libs are sure to have others standing behind Peter to take up the mantle of a large all powerful federal apparatus. After all that is where the money is.

  2. julian.smith

    Mr Potato Head

    Dutton is like Tony Abbott without the charm

    GetUp will have a few of my $ to ensure he returns to the Qld Police - there's more like him there.

    1. Mark 65

      Re: Mr Potato Head

      No need for a sentence to describe him when "c*nt" will do.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    Who would you rather spy on you ?

    The Ruskies, the Yanks, the Poms, the Commies, the Kiwis, the Canadians or the Aussies

    Well in Australia, yeah that place at the bottom of the map, I would rather to be spied upon by our own people rather than by others.

    Why, Simple, I can vote the bastards out of office or kick them in the shins if they F**K it up.

    Besides the ASIO and AFP can already ask for help from these guys if they need it, and they're there to keep us safe, or so they say ( not just for cribbage partners).

  4. Scoular

    Do it anyway?

    If the actions of other agencies are any indication what will actually happen is they will do it anyway and just not tell the public about it.

    1. Mark 65

      Re: Do it anyway?

      Likely already are and were looking to legalise it before anyone gets the hard evidence. Whistle-blower laws a coincidence? All designed to hide the bits they don't want you knowing about.

  5. Faceless Man

    Odious little potato. People I know who remember Dutton from his school days aren't especially surprised at how he turned out, but still don't respect him.

    The whole Department of Home Affairs thing is another attempt by Turnbull to keep the hard right of the party onside - Give Dutton his authoritarian agency, and let them ride over everyone's civil rights, as long as they're not plotting against him.

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