Terror Laws:

June 20, 2002 : ASIO POWERS : YOUR URGENT ACTION NEEDED

As the ALP and Government continue to negotiate over amendments to the terrorism laws we still have time to make a difference.

The substantive legislation will be debated in the Senate next week, with the proposed ASIO powers likely to be debated next week as well.

The ALP has not yet finalised its position on the ASIO laws, so it is crucial that over the next few days people do what ever they can to pressure the ALP to oppose the new powers completely. It is likely a decision on the ALPs position will be made on Tuesday morning, so your urgent action is needed now.

Even with amendments that have been proposed, the new powers will mean an incredible change to our civil and democratic rights. You do not have to be suspected of any crime to be detained for up to seven days, merely someone ASIO says has information they need. Friends, family, neighbors, colleagues of people ASIO says are terrorists can be locked up. You will be held incommunicado with only an ASIO approved lawyer for company. You will lose the right to silence; if you refuse to answer questions you can face five years in jail.

There is widespread dissent within the ALP against supporting the bill. A joint dissenting report from the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee by Senators Barney Cooney (ALP) and Bob Brown (Greens) said :

"The bill proposes that people, not reasonably suspected of committing a crime, should be deprived of their liberty, potentially indefinitely. This is a fundamental shift away from principles that in some respects date back to the Magna Carta. No one should be imprisoned or detained unless they have a committed a crime or a case can be shown on reasonable grounds that they might have."

YOU NEED TO ACT NOW:

Ring, fax or email any ALP Senator you can. See http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/senators/los.pdf for contact details for all Senators. In particular these ALP MPs who are leading the decision making in the ALP.

Simon Crean
Tel: (02) 6277 4022 Fax: (02) 6277 8495 Email: S.Crean.MP@aph.gov.au

Senator John Faulkner
Tel: (02) 6277 3233 Fax: (02) 6277 3415 Email: senator.faulkner@aph.gov.au

Darryl Melham
Tel: (02) 6277 2054 Fax: (02) 6277 4476 Email: D.Melham.MP@aph.gov.au

Senator Nick Bolkus
Tel: (02) 6277 3388 Fax: (02) 6277 3062 Email:
senator.bolkus@aph.gov.au

Senator Kate Lundy (Labor's ACT Senator, for ACT Residents)
Tel: (02) 6230 0411 Fax: 6230 0413 Email:senator.lundy@aph.gov.au

Faxing and emailing is useful, but at the very least call these four people. It will only take a minute or two, just state clearly that you expect the ALP to defend the fundamental principle of the criminal law that only those suspected of crime should be detain or imprisoned. Urge them to join the Democrats and Greens in opposing the ASIO bill outright.

Public pressure has brought about significant changes to the terrorism legislation, we still have time to ensure ASIO does not acquire the powers of a secret police.

article by Damien Lawson

Western Suburbs Legal Service Inc.
30 Hall St, Newport 3015 VIC
03 9391 2244 (Tel)
03 9399 1686 (Fax)
0418 140 387 (Mobile)
clewsls@vicnet.net.au

For more such information see "TerrorLaws" : A list for information and action on the proposed terrorism laws in Australia. http://www.topica.com/ists/TerrowLaws/read for daily updates.

Terror Laws:

June 20, 2002 : ASIO POWERS : YOUR URGENT ACTION NEEDED

YOU NEED TO ACT NOW:

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