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| Down Under |
| Ruddock unveils Oz terror laws |
| 2005-11-03 |
| ATTORNEY-GENERAL Philip Ruddock unveiled the final draft of new terrorism laws last night, allowing police to detain terror suspects for up to one year without charge. Pledging the changes would ensure Australia had "the toughest laws possible to prosecute those responsible should a terrorist attack occur", Mr Ruddock urged Parliament to finalise the passage of the new laws by Christmas. "The Bill ensures that we are in the strongest position to prevent new and emerging threats to stop terrorists carrying out their intended acts," Mr Ruddock told Parliament. The changes will introduce a new power for police to detain suspects under preventive detention orders for up to 48 hours to avert a terrorist attack. Suspects who have trained with a terrorist organisation overseas could be forced to wear tracking devices or remain under house arrest for up to a year under new control orders. However, Mr Ruddock has agreed to a series of safeguards following negotiations with Liberal MPs, including Petro Georgiou, Malcolm Turnbull and senator George Brandis, adding greater powers for judges to review the control orders on the merits of the case, not simply points of law. A sunset clause of 10 years on the sweeping new laws and a review after five years will also be enshrined. The anti-terrorism Bill will increase penalties for financing terrorism, strengthen the definition of terrorist organisations and boost police powers to stop, search and question people in relation to terrorist acts. Police powers to obtain information including flight and bank records will also be boosted to track terrorist activity. The laws will also expand sedition definitions under the Crimes Act but Mr Ruddock flagged a review of them next year after pressure from Liberal MPs. Camera surveillance of passengers and staff at airports and on board aircraft will also be expanded. The Coalition partyroom was briefed on the changes shortly before question time yesterday and they were tabled at 4.20pm. The new laws follow marathon negotiations with State Premiers, Liberal MPs and State and Commonwealth Solicitors-General. Kim Beazley announced this week he would support the terrorism laws, even if the ALP's proposed amendments failed, on "national interest" grounds. Labor MPs are expected to debate the legislation when they return to Parliament next week. The 137-page bill is the 85th draft of the legislation. Safeguards in the laws would ensure the personal circumstances of an individual would be balanced against the threat to the community. "This does not mean that personal circumstances will outweigh the assessment of a threat, but it is recognised that both issues need to be taken into account," Mr Ruddock said. He also confirmed the Government had agreed to a longer parliamentary review process for the legislation. It will be referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee. |
| Posted by:God Save The World AKA Oztralian |