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MEDIA ALERT: Lawyers oppose proposed changes to terror laws
25th Jul 2016
The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) opposes the Turnbull Government's proposed preventative detention for terrorism offenders.
Mr Greg Barns, ALA media spokesperson, is available for comment on this issue. If contacted, he will make the following points about the proposed changes:
- They offend the rule of law;
- They offend the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Australia is a party;
- They coincide with a dramatic broadening of terrorism offences, whereby long sentences can be imposed for preparatory offences;
- They ignore the fact that terrorism offenders who are released into the community at the end of their sentences can be placed on control orders, and are in any event subjected to surveillance by ASIO and the AFP;
- They give rise to a risk of profiling, based on characteristics identified by the Prime Minister as risk factors, such as mental illness, anti-social behaviour and addiction;
- Any reduction in privacy for medical records risks cutting vulnerable people off from an important support system.
Mr Barns is a highly experienced barrister who is familiar with anti-terror laws and control orders.
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