When the terror alert was lifted to ‘high’ more than a month ago, we were assured that our lives and daily routines would be unaffected.

On top of the almost 50 laws passed since the September 11 attacks in 2001 to supposedly preserve our way of life, the government is pushing for yet more, while assuring us that national security can co-exist with liberty and convenience.

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• PM’s double-talk on terror
• School attack, raids leave Muslims ‘shocked and afraid’

But are we really so unaffected?

Australian National University terrorism expert Dr Clarke Jones told The New Daily it is “absurd” to think that cracking down on terrorism and raising our alertness has no trade off.

The Prime Minister himself acknowledged this in parliament when he said “the delicate balance between freedom and security may have to shift”.

“Regrettably, for some time to come, Australians will have to endure more security than we’re used to, and more inconvenience than we’d like,” Tony Abbott said.

Here are some of the things we have lost in the panic generated by fears of terrorism, ranging from the innocuous to the deeply concerning.

Please take your rubbish with you because of … terrorism. Photo: AAP

Tidy train stations

Rubbish bins have been removed or altered at stations across Australia to prevent terrorist attacks.

In Victoria, bins were removed from Flinders Street, Southern Cross, Parliament, Melbourne Central and Richmond, as well as several rural stations. In Sydney, see-through bins have replaced the metal variety to ensure nothing suspicious can be hidden inside.

A Public Transport Victoria spokeswoman confirmed to The New Daily that the removal of rubbish bins from “some locations” across the state was a direct response to the increased alert level. Other precautions have been taken, but the details of these are secret, the spokeswoman said.

“A range of measures are being taken across the public transport network and it is inappropriate to discuss any specific security actions,” she said.

Demilitarised streets

More heavily armed police are now visible at big public events like sport finals, major tourist venues like the Opera House, public transport hubs and “other high-profile public places” because of the heightened terror alert, Dr Jones said.

Access points to many public buildings have also been restricted, slowing the flow of traffic, he said.

“If you’ve been to Parliament House here in Canberra you’ve got a lot more police doing patrols, you’ve got more dogs, you’ve got all sorts,” Dr Jones said.

Hassle-free travel

Security at airports is also “a lot tougher”, with closer checks and tighter screening of passengers before they board flights, Dr Jones said.

On a recent flight from Canberra to Melbourne, Dr Jones noticed a greater delay.

The National Security Website says travellers should take increased security at airports and other transport hubs into account when making plans, but “this should not stop people from travelling for work or holidays where it is safe to do so”.

Proper scrutiny of legislation

Dr Jones said the threat to national security is acting as a “smokescreen” obstructing the usual level of government scrutiny.

The Opposition has thrown its support behind Mr Abbott’s proposed counter-terror laws, ensuring that some of them have sped through Parliament much faster than similar legislation in the past.

For example, the Foreign Incursions and Recruitment Bill (which the government plans to fully overhaul) was introduced in 1977 and did not pass until 13 months later in April 1978.

After the September 11 attacks, it took the Howard government 10 months to respond with a tougher counter-terrorism law. The review process for it took 106 days.

After the Bali bombings in 2002, the Howard government did not beef up counter-terror laws again until 2004. The first part of this legislative package took 85 days to be debated and passed, the second 57 days, and the third 50 days.

In contrast, the first half of the Abbott government’s new counter-terror laws were debated and passed in only eight days, angering civil liberty groups.

Liberty Victoria and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties both voiced concerns at the hasty process.

A barking watchdog

Under the new laws, anyone (including a journalist) who discloses any information about a special intelligence operation may face up to 10 years in prison. Any operation can be declared “special” by an authorised ASIO officer.

Writing for The Conversation, Griffith University Journalism Pofessor Mark Pearson said these laws gag the media from reporting on an area that “merits maximum media scrutiny and transparency”.

Travel bans

Under new laws, the Minister for Foreign Affairs will be able to declare certain areas, such as conflict zones in Iraq and Syria, as off-limits.

A prison sentence of 10 years awaits those who fly to these no-go zones and are unable to prove they had a valid reason for doing so.

Freedom of movement is “without a doubt” hit by this law, which is “a real concern”, Dr Jones said.

Those visiting family or providing humanitarian aid would have an excuse to visit these area, but could still fall under suspicion and face interrogation.

“We have a minority community in Australia who are very concerned about families over in conflict zones, so I think it’s a shame that we’re not allowing them to travel or might restrict or make it more difficult,” Dr Jones said.

“If your family were in a conflict zone, naturally you would want to go over and support them, just as if my mother had a fall down in Melbourne I would want to fly down and check that she was okay,” he said.

Team Australia

The Prime Minister continues to call for a united Australia, but his response to terrorism risks splitting up the team, said Dr Jones, who is also an expert in radicalisation.

“We need to embrace diversity. We don’t all have to be the same thing,” he said.

Travel bans and other counterterrorism measures could build on long-held feelings of isolation to spark a turn to extremism and violence, he said.

“The Muslim minority population are very concerned about this new legislation because they appear to be targeted at their group, and their group alone.”

Our level heads

Barrister Murray McInnis told The New Daily that the terror threat is causing many of us, especially our politicians, to lose our calm, benefiting only the enemies we fear.

“I think there is an element of panic about this,” Mr McInnis said. “A panic response is exactly what the terrorists want from us.”