Sedition for dummies
Privacy laws curb investigations - Simon Kearney
PRIVACY laws have been hampering terror investigations, with companies reluctant to hand over information about suspects.
Testifying before the Senate inquiry into the new anti-terrorism laws, Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner John Lawler defended the need for extra powers by giving examples of where the current system falls down.
"What we need are the tools to intervene in an earlier period before all the evidence is in place," he said.
"The risks are very real. This is not a grab for power."
Mr Lawler gave a list of examples where the AFP had been unable to act because the current laws did not give them the necessary power.
He said police were finding "more and more reluctance" by businesses to hand over information about terrorist suspects.
"Some have refused to provide information under national privacy principles - businesses are unsure of their legal position," hesaid.
"Businesses are looking for some legal cover for privacy principles."
Mr Lawler said the new "notice to produce" laws would allow police to demand information from businesses when they did not have enough evidence to obtain a search warrant.
He said similar powers had been used to great effect by British police in the wake of the July bombings in London.
New sedition laws were needed because the police had been unable to act on radicals urging people to commit acts of violence, Mr Lawler said.
"We have seen, we have heard people advocating violence against the community ... the nature of that vitriol is not covered in the current legislative framework. That's come about surrounding a particular activity that we were not able to act on."
ASIO chief Paul O'Sullivan told the Senate committee that the recent police operation against a group of men allegedly planning a terrorist attack in Australia had not reduced the threat to the nation.
He said the urgent change to the law made by the federal parliament two weeks ago had helped the police "considerably" and that the timetable of the operation had not been upset by the publicity about the threat.
"The threat we face is serious - an attack is feasible and could well occur," he said.
Mr O'Sullivan told the hearing ASIO had found it was having to request repeated warrants for the same thing, which made it necessary for the legislation to triple the length of time for which ASIO warrants were valid.
"We have had evidence in recent times that operational flexibility will be considerably enhanced by having that longer time frame," he said.END
'...New sedition laws were needed because the police had been unable to act on radicals urging people to commit acts of violence, Mr Lawler said.
"We have seen, we have heard people advocating violence against the community ... the nature of that vitriol is not covered in the current legislative framework. That's come about surrounding a particular activity that we were not able to act on..."
Seeing how folks are always ALWAYS interested in whats censored I'm counting on being among the first arrested for Sedition. I doubt they have the balls though. Pity.
PRIVACY laws have been hampering terror investigations, with companies reluctant to hand over information about suspects.
Testifying before the Senate inquiry into the new anti-terrorism laws, Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner John Lawler defended the need for extra powers by giving examples of where the current system falls down.
"What we need are the tools to intervene in an earlier period before all the evidence is in place," he said.
"The risks are very real. This is not a grab for power."
Mr Lawler gave a list of examples where the AFP had been unable to act because the current laws did not give them the necessary power.
He said police were finding "more and more reluctance" by businesses to hand over information about terrorist suspects.
"Some have refused to provide information under national privacy principles - businesses are unsure of their legal position," hesaid.
"Businesses are looking for some legal cover for privacy principles."
Mr Lawler said the new "notice to produce" laws would allow police to demand information from businesses when they did not have enough evidence to obtain a search warrant.
He said similar powers had been used to great effect by British police in the wake of the July bombings in London.
New sedition laws were needed because the police had been unable to act on radicals urging people to commit acts of violence, Mr Lawler said.
"We have seen, we have heard people advocating violence against the community ... the nature of that vitriol is not covered in the current legislative framework. That's come about surrounding a particular activity that we were not able to act on."
ASIO chief Paul O'Sullivan told the Senate committee that the recent police operation against a group of men allegedly planning a terrorist attack in Australia had not reduced the threat to the nation.
He said the urgent change to the law made by the federal parliament two weeks ago had helped the police "considerably" and that the timetable of the operation had not been upset by the publicity about the threat.
"The threat we face is serious - an attack is feasible and could well occur," he said.
Mr O'Sullivan told the hearing ASIO had found it was having to request repeated warrants for the same thing, which made it necessary for the legislation to triple the length of time for which ASIO warrants were valid.
"We have had evidence in recent times that operational flexibility will be considerably enhanced by having that longer time frame," he said.END
'...New sedition laws were needed because the police had been unable to act on radicals urging people to commit acts of violence, Mr Lawler said.
"We have seen, we have heard people advocating violence against the community ... the nature of that vitriol is not covered in the current legislative framework. That's come about surrounding a particular activity that we were not able to act on..."
Seeing how folks are always ALWAYS interested in whats censored I'm counting on being among the first arrested for Sedition. I doubt they have the balls though. Pity.
posted by professor rat at 12:28 AM
<< Home