NCJ Number
62785
Journal
Legal Service Bulletin Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: (AUGUST 1978) Pages: 134-138
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A REPORT ADVOCATING A NATIONAL POLICE FORCE, THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE (AFP), IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE ATTACK ON CITIZENS' RIGHTS.
Abstract
THE PRESENT ATTACK ON CITIZENS' RIGHTS ARISES OUT OF THE NEED TO RESTRUCTURE THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY IF IT IS TO AVOID COLLAPSE. SUCH RESTRUCTURING WILL INEVITABLY RESULT IN INCREASINGLY SEVERE INTERNAL CONFLICT ARISING OUT OF PERMANENT HIGH LEVELS OF UNEMPLOYMENT, STRUCTURAL POVERTY AND INEQUALITY, AND AN INCREASINGLY AIMLESS LIFE FOR MOST PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY YOUTH. SIR ROBERT MARK, A FORMER BRITISH SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, CONTRIBUTED TO THE BRITISH POLITICAL SCENE THE IDEA OF REORGANIZING POLICE SECURITY RESOURCES IN A RAPIDLY DETERIORATING ECONOMIC SITUATION. THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOPHISTICATED WEAPONRY AND A SPECIAL BRANCH, THE POLICE UNDER MARK GRADUALLY DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE INTERNAL DEFENSE ROLE AND SUPPLANTED THE ARMY IN DEALING WITH INDUSTRIAL AND POLITICAL DEMONSTRATIONS. HIS BLUEPRINT FOR AUSTRALIA INCLUDES A SOPHISTICATED NATIONAL POLICE FORCE CAPABLE OF WIDE-SCALE AND UNCONTROLLED SURVEILLANCE, HOWEVER, SUCH A POLICY, IF ADOPTED IN AUSTRALIA, COULD LEAD TO A POLICE STATE. FOOTNOTES ARE ARE PROVIDED. (AOP)