Currently before the NSW Parliament is a new Mental Health Amendment Bill which puts the psychiatrist above the law and allows sweeping police powers to abduct people even in their own homes if they are suspected of being mentally ill.

This is the kind of society George Orwell wrote about in his famous novel 1984 where people were subject to control by the state through drugs, thought police and the redefinition of words.

• The new Mental Health Amendment Bill redefines "mentally ill person" to include financial harm and harm to reputation as reasons to administer psychiatric treatment.
• A person can be held for 3 days and treated with psychiatric drugs and even electro-shock against their will.
• They can be put under a community treatment order with no rights to refuse treatment. This Bill extends these orders from 3 months to 6 months.
• And perhaps worst of all it can he done on the say so of just about anyone which could (under the new Bill) result in the police being able to enter your home and take you away on the suspicion of being mentally ill.
• The new Bill extends all of these powers interstate so there would be no escape from psychiatry that way either.

What can you Do?

• Sign the petition to stop the Bill from passing as it is.
• Call, fax, or write (c/- NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street, 2000) to: Dr. Andrew Refshauge MP, Minister for Health, Ms Jillian Skinner MP, the Shadow Minister for Health, Mr Bob Carr MP, the NSW Premier, your MP and Senator and express your concerns about the dangers of this bill and tell them that the law must be brought into line with the international human rights standards set `out by the United Nations and agreed to by Australia, and the NSW government. This bill undermines your basic human rights in its current form and is open to widespread abuse. Freedom is worth fighting for.
• If you or someone you know has been harmed by a psychiatrist or mental health treatment contact: