Jims CounterterrorismNew laws allowing bosses to read your private emails without your consent could be passed as early as next year in order to protect Australia from terrorist attacks. I kid you not.

Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland told the media he is aware of the potential invasions of privacy that the proposal could allow, but insisted that it was necessary.

Of course, terrorists wouldn’t actually be impacted by these new laws. They could just use their home computers or Hotmail accounts to send emails, leaving only the privacy of everyday Australians to be breached.

And how are bosses supposed to recognize an email that is ‘terrorist’ related. It’s not like Barry from Barry’s Plumbing and Drainage is exactly trained in counterterrorism. Maybe they’ll need to forward their staff’s email to ASIO for examination?

The Government is crying out with the same the old story we heard so much from Howard and the United States; the only way to avert terrorist attacks is to continue hacking away at our rights. Someone pull these guys into line, please.