Twitter Is Calling Bullshit On Australia’s New ‘Terror Level’
Keep calm and vote Liberal.
This afternoon Tony Abbott called a press conference to announce that Australia is raising its “terror threat level”, which is a thing that apparently still exists, to its highest-ever rating; the National Terrorism Public Alert System, introduced back in 2003, has sat at ‘medium’ until right now, when it was raised to ‘high’.
The new rating will mean more visible security in airports, government buildings and large public events, but it’s unclear why the threat level has been raised now, or at all; according to the Australian National Security website, the new rating indicates that a “terrorist attack is likely,” which would be quite scary if the Prime Minister hadn’t announced that the news “does not mean that a terror attack is imminent” in literally the same press conference.
The naysayers out there might be sceptical at the announcement, even going so far as to deem it a cynical attempt to distract people from the government’s deeply unpopular policies and seemingly total inability to do anything right at all by raising the ever-present boogeyman of Islamic extremism. Some particularly nasty characters might even point out that a senior government minister started giving evidence in front of ICAC at the exact same time the terror press conference went to air, and that a national security threat would serve as a very useful diversion for a political party which has lost ten members over corruption allegations so far. Thankfully, such haters are mercifully rare. Except on Twitter, where they are absolutely everywhere.
turn [terror level] down for what — adam brereton (@adambrereton) September 12, 2014
Suddenly a lot more men in the city reading newspaper with eye holes cut out — Rob Stott (@Rob_Stott) September 12, 2014
THREAT LEVEL http://t.co/84aVRgmTNf — ABC News Intern (@ABCnewsIntern) September 12, 2014
See something, say something pic.twitter.com/AxRt7yHsgT — mat whitehead (@matwhi) September 12, 2014
One of Twitter’s best functions is how it can call out bullshit as bullshit almost before it leaves someone’s mouth. That, and making jokes about weed. because the terror threat level is ‘high’. Geddit? Ahhh. You get it.
Terrorism threat is high *takes off sunglasses* AND so am I. *blazes up* *rides a kangaroo to parliament* *blows smoke all over tony* Chill — Matt Banham (@MattBanham) September 12, 2014
Terrorist Threat Level: pic.twitter.com/7u2wiHrT3i — Mitch Feltscheer (@mitchfel) September 12, 2014
National terror threat level raised to look sideways at suss fellas on the bus — da nn olan (@dannolan) September 10, 2014
Bless you, Twitter. Never change.
Terror Alert Level: High for two minutes, stir, cook on medium for further two mins. — Drew Sheldrick (@drewsheldrick) September 12, 2014
These fucking people. #teamstraya #auspol #dogwhistlin’ #propagandisin’ #scaremongerin’ #fuckno pic.twitter.com/64ke6vC7pB — Jones (@platinumdepot) September 12, 2014
Australian terrorism threat levels: Low Medium Alert Wombat Fridge magnet Newspoll Severe Shark Extreme Fancy Dance off Catastrophic Alarmed — Mary Hamilton (@newsmary) September 12, 2014
– Feature image via @platinumdepot who let us use it because what a legend, seriously.