<$BlogRSDUrl$>

28 September 2005

TERRORISM, EPIDEMICS OR GLOBAL WARMING - WHAT ARE THE MOST SERIOUS THREATS WE FACE? 

As Australia's Federal and State leaders meet to discuss a further tightening of Australia's laws to combat possible terrorist threats one wonders if the real threats to our future security are being addressed.

Leaving aside the concerns that have been expressed about the legislation by groups such as the Law Council of Australia and concerns about granting further powers to a government that appears to exhibit little regard for human rights (eg Cornelia Rau, David Hicks, Victoria Solon and now Scott Parkin the peace activist recently deported for allegedly being a non specified 'threat to national security') it is a concern that the fears of the community about what is really an unlikely threat are being exploited whilst what are potentially far more serious threats do not seem to receive the same priority.

See the next post for updated information about the threat posed by global warming for one example.

Another potentially deady threat is that posed by the avian influenza virus. Public health experts fear the bird flu virus, which has now spread to ten countries in S E Asia and resulted in over 50 confirmed deaths, is mutating and could develop the ability to spread easily between humans, with the potential to kill millions in a pandemic.

Recognizing that the Indonesian government does not have the resources to deal effectively with the potential epidemic, the Australian government has announced the provision of an additional 40,000 flu vaccines to combat the outbreak of the disease in an attempt to address the problem at its source.

Nevertheless it can be questioned if it is enough, and again indirectly raises the question of Aid levels and the developed world's support for the Millennium Development Goals. Providing resources to address issues of poverty, disease and alternative sources of energy as well as reducing expenditure on armaments would seem to be a more effective means of investing in security. Unfortunately that message still does not seem to have got through to many world leaders.

A scorecard on the various issues addressed at the recent UN summit can be viewed in the latest edition of Ozspirit

Comments: Post a Comment

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?