WHISTLE-BLOWERS AND DEMOCRACY NOW AND THEN

400 years ago - John Milton argued for freedom of speech - so a person could write and not end up in the Tower:

 This is true Liberty when free born men, Having to advise the public may speak free..

Inspired by a play performed in  423BC , Suppliant Women by Euripides, on themes of the the plight of innocent civilians in war and whether the authorities will respect the burial rituals of the losers. 

It was apt for Citizen Milton in the midst of the English Civil War and it is relevant NOW,

ACROSS THE GLOBE; THE PLAY IS STILL REFLECTING THE HUMAN CONDITION as reports of U.S. unmanned piloted drones strike and kill Pakistan citizens, Australia leaves the drowned asylum seekers in the ocean and an American Public Sector worker is charged with treason for releasing information about the intrusion of privacy by the U.S. Government.

A Public Interest Disclosure Bill 2013  introduced by the Gillard Labor Government has passed from the House of Reps. to the Senate. The ability and confidence for public sector officials to report wrong-doing is personal - as I explain in my side-dish of sacrificial lambs - would we be having a Royal Commission into Institutional Sexual Abuse today, if the visiting department officers checking on the wards of the State like my mother had done their job properly and allowed the children to tell him about the torture taking place by the Priest and Nuns?

Joe and Joan Public would think that after all this time the legislation would be comprehensive but there are gaps: Is something better than nothing? for more information read: https://theconversation.com/whistleblowing-law-now-an-acid-test-for-federal-politicians-15373

When global citizens of today learned through their media thanks to a whistle-blower hiding out in Hong Kong from his U.S. Government about the secret intrusions into personal information without warrants, including with the use of drones - George Orwell's 1949 classic, 1984 became a top world seller with it's theme of omnipresent government surveillance.

Roy Morgan research also found a healthy vote for new Wikileaks Party of 21% for a Senate seat, of  this resilient Australian libertarian now protected by the Equadorian embassy in London. (www.themonthly.com.au)

Julian Assange remains the thorn(or is it the prick) of the Australian, British and American governments for revealing war-crimes to the public, and I for one am glad he is so resilient and intelligent against powerful forces.

"In the time of Universal deceit - telling the Truth
 is a Revolutionary act" Orwell, Animal Farm