[Greens-Media] Anti-terrorism laws damaging

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey MEDIA RELEASE
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Tues 9 May 06



Anti-terrorism laws unnecessary and damaging

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has dismissed the ACT Government's anti-terrorism Bill as part of an Australian wide project that is both unnecessary and damaging.

"The ACT Government has attempted to make this law compliant with human rights. But I do not believe that has been possible" Dr Foskey said today.

"Independent legal and human rights experts have argued that these laws undermine the freedom from arbitrary imprisonment, the basis of our whole legal and political system." 

"Furthermore, they are not necessary. There are many strong laws in place that assist the police and security agencies in doing their job."

In debate on anti-terrorism legislation in the Legislative Assembly today, Dr Foskey also argued that the Australia-wide move for more police powers is just one aspect of a broader push by the Commonwealth Government.

"These beefed up security laws play a part in a vast panoply of state control measures introduced by the Howard Government including
 
§	new ASIO, phone taps, sedition and control order laws
§	the Work Choices legislation 
§	ongoing attacks on the independence of the judiciary and the High Court, on the independence and funding of the ABC, and on the independence and objectivity of the CSIRO; and  
§	imminent legislation that threatens the funding of an NGO that dares to engage in political activity or commentary." 

"More subtle perhaps, but equally concerning, is that even the presumption of innocence appears to be at risk. The Liberal Party view in the Assembly today seemed to be that anyone identified by the AFP or intelligence agencies as associated with terrorist activities is automatically guilty" Dr Foskey said.  



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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
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