The sector-wide “QR Code” surveillance grid will roll out across Queensland in the next few hours, like a thief in the night,” according to Mirani MP Stephen Andrew. From 1am on 9 July, Queenslanders must log in electronically or scan a QR code before they can set foot into a greatly expanded range of venues, buildings, and businesses across the State.
“The QR codes Directive, will now cover virtually every area of human activity in Queensland. It will soak up huge swathes of data to do with Queenslanders’ working, eating, shopping, holidaying and socialising lives. It will determine whether they get to watch a movie, see a play or work out the gym. All sorts of highly sensitive information concerning your day-to-day activities, routines, habits and behaviour will be collected, including intensely private details around the medical services you use, the social and political clubs you belong to and the church, temple or synagogue you attend. It will record how often you go to the bottle shop, gun dealer, pawn broker, union meeting or massage parlour … the list of previously private information about your life that will now be ‘knowable’, is practically unlimited. It remains to be seen whether authorities will be able to resist the massive temptation of accessing this rich data reservoir,” Stephen Andrew said.
Mr Andrew said he had already heard that Queensland Police had accessed it for their investigations.
“But what about all the other ‘stakeholder’ groups who will be desperate to get their hands on it –banks, credit card, insurance companies, ATO, family court lawyers, political think tanks, NGOs, to name just a few. Many experts also see the dangers of an increasing tendency for people to ‘self-impose’ restrictions on their own movements and activities over time. As a ‘self-policing’ tool, the QR code offers untold benefits for government looking to change or modify their citizens behaviour and activities.
“Whether this behaviour or activities are perfectly lawful and legitimate ones, won’t matter. People are going to think very carefully about where they go, what they do and who they associate with from this point on. Those who previously might have joined a farmers’ protest or anti-abortion group, will think twice before they do so again. The chilling effect this could have on our society and people’s way of life is alarming.
“From 1am tomorrow, the way Queenslanders live and interact with each other is going to change in many subtle and unexpected ways. It will have happened through the issuing of a simple health ‘directive’, or decree, with no parliamentary scrutiny, no public discussion or debate and no legislation passed. If you are as worried as I am about where things are headed in Queensland, please help by encouraging as many people as possible to sign our petition. We need to send as powerful a message as possible to Parliament before it is too late.”
Stephen Andrew has issued a comment on the Queensland government seeking a foreign worker to replace the chief health officer:
So much for locals! Now I’m starting to see why backpacker labourers were used to build our solar farms. Looking for the no-history-attached model that can be moulded maybe?
Despite calls from the Queensland Premier to reduce the intake of Australians returning home from overseas, the Queensland government has sourced a recruitment agency to search worldwide for the Chief Health Officer’s replacement.
Is this the Premier’s way of suggesting Australian doctors and medical specialists aren’t up to the job?
“They were ringing the necks off the bikes at the Motorcycle Beach Races today,” according to State Member for Mirani, Stephen Andrew. “This is hands down one of the best events I sponsor, super day, well done John and Anne Hand, Desley Steven’s, Sarina Surf Lifesaving Club and the host of volunteers and sponsors. 110% total success of a Day,” he said.
The Motorcycle Beach Races, with more than 90 years of history at Grasstree Beach, included markets, jumping castles and face painting too! The races are the only competitive modern beach motorcycle racing of its kind in Australia.
Stephen Andrew: Vaccine passports coming soon, controlling where you go, what you can do & much more
Stephen Andrew statement on legislation
If passed, the Public Health and Other Legislation (Further Extension of Expiring Provisions) Amendment Bill 2021, will take Queensland’s rolling state of emergency into its third year.
Under the State’s Covid-19 Emergency legislation framework, these emergency powers bestow enormous legislative and executive decision-making powers in the hands of a few, with no oversight, public debate or parliamentary scrutiny. They must be held accountable.
Without any clearly defined exit strategy, there is also a real danger that the Government’s use of these emergency powers and measures, will become normalised over time and eventually, permanent.
Under the ‘rule of law’ model this country was founded on, any exercise of the Executive’s regulation-making powers must be proportionate and reasonable, and strictly ‘time limited’.
Accountable for strategy
Maintaining an infection eradication strategy in Queensland – something that was never mentioned or discussed in the beginning – risks a future of economic impoverishment, endless snap lockdowns, disruptive travel restrictions, panic buying, rationing and routine draconian punishments for citizens exercising their democratic rights and freedoms.
Queenslanders are now effectively being ruled by Executive Decree, with absolute power vested in an unaccountable Executive, and none of the usual ‘checks and balances’ essential to a functioning democracy.
That’s why I have decided to draft a Parliamentary Petition against the Bill, requesting Parliament to oppose it and prepare new legislation that better safeguards our system of government and the people’s rights and freedoms.
I will post the link to the Petition, all things goin well today and hopefully we can get as many people as possible to sign it.
The more people that sign it, the more Government will be forced to listen.