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| Down Under |
| Australia preparing for commonwealth games security |
| 2005-11-05 |
| TROOPS with shoot-to-kill powers could be deployed on Australain streets within hours of a terrorist attack or threat under laws likely to be introduced before the Commonwealth Games. Defence Minister Robert Hill yesterday revealed the move amid fears newly identified terrorist cells were planning attacks in Melbourne and Sydney. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald Sun, Senator Hill said next year's Games were one reason the Government would move quickly with sweeping changes to make it easier to call out the military. He said that in response to an attack or threat, capital cities would be flooded with special forces soldiers flown in by Black Hawk helicopters from Holsworthy Military Base. They would have stronger powers, including the right to detain people, to search and seize and the power to shoot to kill. Senator Hill said the new laws could be ready by the start of the Games in Melbourne on March 15. "There would be greater flexibility in the call out provisions to meet a wider range of scenarios," he said. "It would ease the processes for calling out the military." Senator Hill said call-out powers under the Defence Act were insufficient to deal with terrorism. He said that at present calling out the armed forces was "constitutionally fraught" and the laws were too "complex" and "awkward" in a rapidly developing environment. Senator Hill said other changes would be that troops could be deployed on a nationwide basis to deal with a 9/11-style situation of multiple attacks. The Reserves would be mixed with regular units - currently not allowed. Maritime or aerial attacks also would justify a call-out. He said the new laws could streamline the approval process for a call-out, but the details would still have to be worked out. Under existing laws, Commonwealth interests must be at risk - or state police forces must be unable to cope. The Attorney-General, Prime Minister and Defence Minister must agree. The Governor-General then must approve and authorise the Chief of the Defence Force to act. The military was last called out to aid civil power in 1978 after the bomb blast at Sydney's Hilton Hotel during a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. Senator Hill said the Government would introduce the new laws as soon as practically possible. "Assuming it gets Cabinet support, we would be looking to introduce a Bill by the end of this session, which is not all that far away," he said. "It would then have committee consideration over the Christmas break, with a view to it being debated in Parliament at the beginning of the next session (February). "It would have to be dealt with almost immediately to be in place by the Commonwealth Games." Senator Hill said exercises had been run under existing call-out powers. "It became obvious the processes were really quite awkward. And they may not easily fit a terrorist scenario as it could develop," he said. The processes were "quite restrictive" in the situation to which they would apply. |
| Posted by:God Save The World AKA Oztralian |