Why cant we be like the Seppo's and have 'shake and bake,' gestapo laws on
the shelves,ready to pop? This is embarrassing.
Detention powers too harsh, say senators
By Cynthia Banham and Darren Goodsir
December 4 2002
In a third blow to the Federal Government's ASIO legislation, a
parliamentary committee that includes Government members has recommended a
rewrite of the bill.
The Senate committee - the third to look at the bill - has recommended that
while ASIO officers should be given new powers to compel people to answer
questions, they should not have the extensive detention powers envisaged by
the Government.
The revised bill, which proposes giving intelligence officers the power to
detain those as young as 14 without charge - even if not suspected of
committing crime - for up to seven days, was attacked by human rights
advocates.
But the committee recommended fundamental changes, including suggesting
that people be questioned under conditions used in other criminal matters -
that is, for periods of up to 12 hours. Once questioning had finished they
would be free to leave.
The committee's majority report also recommended retired judges with at
least 10 years' experience should be responsible for issuing warrants, and
for overseeing questioning by ASIO officers, rather than members of the
Administrative Appeals Tribunal as proposed in the bill.
A Labor senator, Nick Bolkus, is the chairman of the committee, and the
majority includes a Liberal senator, Marise Payne.
Transport officials have broadened their terrorist alert to include ports
and rail junctions, with a specific warning issued to road and train bosses
to exercise greater vigilance when carting dangerous goods.
Although most security focus remains on airports, the Department of
Transport and Regional Services has also been urging other transport
operators to boost their surveillance of possible suspicious activities.
The wider warning advises all operators to take a more cautious look at
security. It also urges them to develop prompt contingency arrangements in
the event of thefts of dangerous goods, break-ins or incursions.
The Transport Minister, John Anderson, yesterday confirmed all 30,000
pilots in general aviation and commercial operations would require photo
licences next year.
The vice-president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Bill
Hamilton, said the photographic licence system had widespread support.
Photographic identity cards, and vetting procedures, are already in place
for workers at airports and designated aerodromes. It is understood ASIO
has also been conducting more frequent audits on applicants for pilot
training, crop dusting and helicopter use.
http://smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/03/1038712936465.html
