CANBERRA, Dec 3 AAP - Labor today signalled it would support the
government's plans to boost ASIO's interrogation powers. That means the
legislation now before the Senate, prompted by the arrest and
deportation of al-Qaeda suspect Willie Brigitte in October, could be
passed this week.
Labor Senate leader John Faulkner said the opposition accepted the need
for changes suggested by Director General of the Australian Security
Intelligence Organisation Dennis Richardson. "The fact is that ASIO, as
they have gone about their important work, have discovered some
loopholes in their new laws when questioning people about terrorism,
especially when those people are foreign nationals," he said. "The
amendments are technical in nature and they are aimed at closing those
loopholes. "It is plain common sense."
But Greens Senator Bob Brown said this was heinous legislation which was
set to pass without proper scrutiny. "The government here is trying to
ram through this parliament on the second last day of sitting an
obnoxious piece of legislation which cuts back the rights of all
Australians in an open democracy to not be treated as people in a police
state," Senator Brown said. "This bill is police state legislation."
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Latham Labor Joins Howard to Trample Democracy
Labor has joined the Government to ram through its new ASIO legislation.
The bill threatens people who make public ASIO's detention of citizens,
even if is illegal, with 5 years in jail Greens Senator Bob Brown said
today.
The Greens' proposal to send the legislation to the Senate Legal and
Constitutional Committee was voted down by Labor and the Coalition this
afternoon.
"Latham Labor has capitulated to John Howard at the first hurdle,"
Senator Brown said.
"Any legislation subject to controversy should at least go before a
Senate committee. To deny such a serious bill any scrutiny is to trample
our democracy.
"This legislation has been criticised by the Australian Council for
Civil Liberties, Amnesty International and Liberty Victoria. Academics
have said it breaches international law and erodes domestic law and
rights.
"For the ALP to a have voted down a simple move by the Greens to seek
expert advice on this bill is unconscionable," Senator Brown said.
Further information: Ben Oquist 02 6277 3170 or 0419 704 095
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