[ajc0883]

There is legislation in every state that prevents the use of recording devices to record "private" conversations. This is done under the guise of "privacy" when it is in fact, a blantant interference with private property.

If you are having a conversation with someone and you have a recording device in your pocket, such a device is your property and hence your own business. Nobody is forcing the other person to talk to you. They have the ability to maintain their own privacy by choosing not to talk to you, so privacy is not the issue.

Recording devices are beneficial in a utilitarian sense, in that they give a bit of power to the little guy. All a recording device is doing is recording reality. Why shouldn't the truth be avaliable to the public and to a judicial proceeding where that is possible?

In a gross injustice, Ben Fordham, the A Current Affair reporter, was today convicted under the NSW version of the Listening Devices Act for "knowingly recording a private conversation".

Is this nonsense not clearly designed to protect the politicians in case they get busted doing patronage deals?

[Eric31]

I think Rothbard and others have noted that there is no "right to privacy" per se, there is only a "right to property" and your privacy exists within the realm of your property.

I think this principle applies here ....... and yeah, of course the pollies wanna protect their asses.