The Queensland Attorney-General has labelled the Federal Government "control freaks" over plans to force lawyers to gain a security clearance before they can appear in certain cases.Federal Attorney-General Daryl Williams will face stiff resistance from some of his state counterparts over the move when they meet in Melbourne today.
The issue is on the agenda for a two-day meeting of attorneys-general starting today.
Federal Attorney-General Daryl Williams is planning to introduce the legislation to stop sensitive information being revealed in court.
[To withhold the truth from the eyes and ears of the general public.]
It would allow more closed hearings and require any lawyers involved to get a security clearance.
Some state attorneys-general are not happy with that, including Queensland's Rod Welford. "It's an outrageous intrusion on the rights of accused parties and a reflection of the control freak nature of the Federal Government at the present time," Mr Welford said.
By Who ? 10 April 03
THE ACCUSED: Lawyers already have a security clearance as officers of the court and can only say what they wish with respect.
Related:
Federal Government proposal to abolish the post of Race Discrimination Commissioner I write to alert you to a Federal Government proposal to abolish the post of Race Discrimination Commissioner (together with the posts of Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Human Rights Commissioner and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner).
Australia: Terrorising you in secret
Suspected terrorists [scapegoats and patsies for the Coalition of the Killing's resource wars in the Middle East] will be tried in secret under new laws to be introduced by the Federal Government.
Red paper classes Australia as terrorist suspects
Australia's old foreign policy red paper says Australians have become targets because their own government is being run by war criminals that are complicit in state terror, torture, murder, occupation and genocide.
Middle Eastern: Specific Legislation
"If there is a target person the police would have powers in relation to that type of person," Mr Costa said. Asked what he meant by "type of person", Mr Costa said: "The example that's been given is if there's a description of somebody, an identikit photograph released by Interpol or other agencies ... these powers may well be exercised on that type of person."
Howard defends terror alert
Prime Minister John Howard says the Federal Government would not have issued a terror alert if it had not come from a credible source. (America?) Speaking for the first time since the Government revealed the warning, Mr Howard says he wants people to be more careful, but not to stop living. [As long as they don't go dancing in Bali? And sure we'll all be depressed for as long as John Howard and Bob Carr say so.]
Carr backs Fed Govt's terror alert
New South Wales Premier Bob Carr has defended the Federal Government's decision to issue a warning to Australians about a possible terrorist attack in Australia.
NSW Police Force may get 'special powers'
Civil libertarians are questioning the need for further anti-terrorism laws, which will be announced in the New South Wales Parliament on Tuesday.
Retrospective Laws: Mesmerised like a chook syndrome
What is it? This chook syndrome. Perhaps it is when we allow 800-year-old rule of law to diminish for a dictator like Bob Carr.
Watchdogs slaughtered in NSW
On Tuesday the Carr Government reduced transparency and accountability yet again and New South Wales is in danger of becoming entrenched with cronyism and intimidations with the Carr Labor Government that continues to slaughter the watchdogs.
