June 24, 2017
This is What Government Censorship Looks Like
Have you ever wondered what Government Censorship looks like?
Have you ever wondered how the Australian Government actively works to prevent seriously ill & elderly Australians from accessing end of life information?
MND Sufferer Grant McKenzie of Perth found out this month when his book was confiscated at the border by Australian Customs
With increasingly paralysis Mr McKenzie knows he’s on borrowed time. No ice bucket challenge is going to save him.
What might have given him some peace of mind in his final months of life and some dignity is his death has been denied him by Australian Border Force.
Or, more particularly, by Australia’s pathetic excuse of a Human Rights ‘Special Envoy’, former Attorney General, Philip Ruddock.
As it was Philip Ruddock and Right to Life NSW who, in 2007, appealed the 18+ classification by the Government Censor.
On appeal the book’s classification was changed to RC = Refused Classification
RC is a classification for publications that the Government deems too dangerous for the Australian public to read!
There is no Constitution right to free speech in Australia.
The treatment of this 70 year old MND Sufferer is its consequence.
Grant McKenzie’s story goes like this.
On 20 May 2017, Grant McKenzie was notified that his Peaceful Pill Handbook had been seized by Australian Customs.
Grant McKenzie requests the Peaceful Pill Book is Released to Him
Sirs,
Reference DGMS No: N0431462 C1PKK1
I have today received notice of the seizure of my book At: SGF –Second inspection. No state is quoted in the seizure notice.
Please find attached the duly completed and signed Form 144 requesting the release and providing me with my book.
This book is for my own personal reference, is not imported for sale or distribution to a third party.
Yours faithfully,
Grant McKenzie
On 22 May Australian Border Force replies:
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr McKenzie
Thank you for your claim for seized goods. The matters you have raised shall be considered and we shall respond once that it done.
Yours Sincerely
Christopher Payne
Supervisor National Claims Processing Section
Legal Division
Dept. of Immigration & Border Protection
P: 02 8339 6327
E: nationalclaims@border.gov.au
W: www.border.gov.au
Postal address: National Claims Processing Section, Dept. of Immigration & Border Protection, GPO Box 9989, Sydney NSW 2001.
Grant McKenzie Complains to Border Force that his Peaceful Pill Handbook has been seized by Customs
4 June 2017
Dear Sir,
I refer to the seizure of my book (DGMS No; N0431462 C1PKK1) , lodgement of my claim for is release (Form B144) and the acknowledgement of my claim as per the below email from BORDER PROTECTION.
At this time in my life which should be a time of relaxing and enjoying my family after a life time of work I have been diagnosed with a fatal crippling disease (Motor Neuron Disease) and face an immediate future of total paralysis and death without dignity.
There is no cure and no treatment for MND and its progression to an appalling and unpleasant death .
I am 70 years of age, have worked and been a tax payer since I was 15 and have never been arrested by police or committed any crime i.e am a law abiding citizen, a self- funded retiree in receipt of nothing, that’s right, no pension no health card, nothing from any government!!
This is my reward for a life time of obedience to the laws of this country, which I love, NOTHING, not even the respect due to me to decide my future!!!!!
I have watched over the past years the decline in education standards, the vocal minority becoming the daily focal point of our media and the quasi ruling factors within our parliamentary system supposedly promoting an individuals RIGHTS.
The decline in our nations respect for the law is reflected in the massive and catastrophic spread of methamphetamines’.
Our TV, printed newspapers and the many internet social media platforms promote this breakdown as the “rights of the minority”. A RIGHT without responsibility e.g tax payer funded injecting rooms, tax payer funded medical costs & legal support for violent criminals / terrorists and their associates, tax payer funded support for persons illegally entering this country and remaining here, tax payer supported religious bigots and bucolic extremists, the list goes on and is a deplorable reflection of these persons RIGHTS.
I purchased a book which I understand supports death without extended suffering & the loss of dignity, surely the last vestige of a person’s RIGHTS and surely MY RIGHT.
I have read with great interest the grounds for this seizure as contained in “Insert details of grounds for seizure”and would question where this book is dealing or promoting matters of sex, morality & decency all which are totally unbelievable in this day of those very assertions being promoted in our parliament as human RIGHTS. The notice goes on to use the words INCITE, promote, instruct the misuse of a drug.
If you consider my actions in importing this book “THE PEACEFUL PILL”for my own education and edification are in any way proved connected to the subjects of the seizure I would be in full support of your actions & furthermore if Border Protection believe I have committed or likely to commit a crime related to any of the matters of the seizure order then try me as a criminal.
If not, release my book to me and allow me to make up my own mind on its content, surely this is MY RIGHT.
As a rational, mature adult I give Border Protection an unequivocal undertaking to destroy the book should I find it contains subject matter correlating to those seizure grounds.
Yours Sincerely,
Grant McKenzie
Border Force Tells Dying Man He Cannot Read Peaceful Pill Handbook
6 June 2017
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr McKenzie
Thank you for your email below.
You have raised several matters that I cannot comment on, but I can expand on why your goods (the publication “The Peaceful Pill”) were seized.
As stated on the seizure notice it was seized as “objectionable material”under Regulation 4A of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations. The grounds of seizure on the notice listed all of the grounds that could cause a publication to be classified as objectionable material, and I take your point that not all of those grounds apply in this instance.
What does apply is that the publication promotes the misuse of a drug, specifically it promotes the use of barbiturates, which are prohibited imports.
The publication also instructs a person in how to use a suicide device, and the importation of such publications is prohibited under another provision of the Regulations.
The Peaceful Pill [sic] was considered by the Classification Review Board in 2007. In their written decision they examined the publication at some length and I attach a copy of their decision for your information.
Would you please let me know if you wish to pursue your claim? And feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Yours Sincerely
Christopher Payne
Supervisor National Claims Processing Section
Legal Division
Dept. of Immigration & Border Protection
P: 02 8339 6327
E: nationalclaims@border.gov.au
W: www.border.gov.au
Grant McKenzie Questions Border Force’s Logic
6 June 2017
Dear Mr Payne,
Thank you for the prompt and detailed and courteous response you have made to mine.
I have made a more detailed study of the “reasons” provided for the seizure of my book and on study of the attached (to your mail today) of the Classification Review Board 2007 of 2007 two quite glaring anomalies appear:
1. the reasons for the seizure as appear on the seizure notice date back to a Classification Statement of the early 1960’s.
Following a review of this classification the book was released for sale in the “brown paper under the counter” classification to prevent its advertising or being obtained by a minor. Am I correct in my historical analysis ??
2. the present Classification reads as if the paranoia of Barbiturates (then by the Attorney General Phillip Ruddock) takes no account either of now days elimination of barbiturates or replacement by alternative (non lethal) in human use prescription “sleeping drugs”.
Your mail mentions the use of a suicide device but does not list these, should we not consider / discuss the motor car (also as a murder devise I may add !!) a plastic bag or a length of common rope. The shelves of any hardware store in Australian shopping centres offer a limitless variety of devises, lethal poisons and chemicals (all imported) that are potential suicide and indeed potential murder & terrorist aids the instructed use of which are readily available via the internet.
From what I have been able to glean via available sources (not illegal) my seized book PEACEFUL PILL offers not a tome of illegality, murder, mayhem or terror but a solution to an individuals chose of exiting this life in a peaceful, dignified and painless way.
Something that should be born in mind when outdated and unrealistic decisions are foistered on a democracy.
I would also like to bring to your attention my personal but easily investigated and challenge welcomed opinion that:
Canberra and the ACT is, without doubt, Australia’s absolute & unquestionable major source and distribution center of obscene, pornographic and offensive material (possibly also to include Parliament House and those presently within it??).
All this material is readily available, not in brown paper wrappers but easily assessable over the counter and of course widely distributed via internet on line sales to other states where such material may be banned or at least restricted.
To mention the seat of our parliament and bureaucracy as being in such a distribution center is possibly an obscenity in itself but after all such may be accepted as an “expression of free thinking”!!
You mention pursuing a claim for release of my book, of course I want it released to me, I honestly purchased it for my own edification and knowledge certainly not for distribution.
I’ve submitted the necessary form and made subsequent representation challenging the reasons given for its seizure however without now commencing expensive legal and media representation to take an action against the Commonwealth even to find the correct path of challenge what alternative avenues are open to me ?
There are many unchallenged and common sense reasons why this seizure action should be challenged and be widely examined however my personal state of health (I have MND) including severely effected speech make such a time consuming and expensive challenge possibly beyond my physical and financial means.
Yours Sincerely,
Grant McKenzie
Department of Immigration & Border Force Threaten Court Costs Should Grant Mackenzie Not Withdraw his Claim to have his Peaceful Pill Handbook Released
13 June 2017
UNCLASSIFIED
Dear Mr McKenzie
Thank you for your email.
You have made a claim for the return of seized goods (the publication “The Peaceful Pill”) . You have also raised objections to the seizure of the goods, and the Classification Review Board’s review of that publication.
Now that you have made a claim, section 205D of the Customs Act 1901 (Cth) applies. If the claim is not withdrawn the Comptroller-General of Customs can start legal proceedings seeking an order that the goods are prohibited imports and that they be condemned as forfeited to the Crown.
During those proceedings, you can give evidence and make submissions to the Court about why the Court should not make those orders.
Those proceedings must be commenced before the end of 120 days after you made the claim for the return of the seized goods.
You should be aware that if legal proceedings are started, and the court makes an order that the goods are prohibited imports, and that they are condemned as forfeited to the Crown, then an order may be sought that you pay our legal costs.
You may withdraw your claim by telephoning or writing to us and no further action will be taken.
Please let us know if you intend to pursue the claim.
Yours Sincerely
Christopher Payne
Supervisor National Claims Processing Section
Legal Division
Dept. of Immigration & Border Protection
P: 02 8339 6327
E: nationalclaims@border.gov.au
W: www.border.gov.au
Postal address: National Claims Processing Section, Dept. of Immigration & Border Protection, GPO Box 9989, Sydney NSW 2001.
Border Force Wins, under the Threat of Legal Costs, this Dying Man Withdraws his Claim for the Peaceful Pill Handbook
13 June 2017
Dear Mr Payne,
I acknowledge your mail of today’s date with reference to the intended action against me should I have the timidity to challenge a decision which is outdated and has relevance in today’s Australia.
I am 70 years of age with a terminal illness and find the threat of LEGAL COSTS being paid to the Commonwealth by me for stating my right of choice abhorrent !!
To mount a legal challenge against your seizure order is, as you well know, a monumental and expensive action and no doubt the threat is enough to deter any such challenge.
I regard the action of the Commonwealth in seizure of this book a further demonstration of the loss of choice in our country and the threat of legal costs exactly that, a threat against my person made entirely to dissuade me should I dare to challenge the bigots and ill- informed control freaks making a choice over my life.
From here the only course of action against this ridiculous seizure is for me to exposure that action in a more political and public forum which I certainly intend to do.
As you expected, I herewith withdraw my claim for the release of my book.
Yours sincerely,
Grant McKenzie