Page 2634 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 8 August 1990
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Civil Liberties
MR CONNOLLY (5.07): I wish this afternoon to raise in the adjournment debate a recent media release put out by Mr Laurie O'Sullivan of the Canberra bar who is President of the Civil Liberties Council in the ACT. The media release relates to Mr David Eastman and the Colin Winchester inquest. The Council of Civil Liberties makes five points and the ACT Opposition wishes to record its support for all but one of those points. The Council of Civil Liberties says:
The Canberra Times and the media have repeatedly reported allegations, have shown photographs and referred to alleged police bugging which make a prima facie case that David Eastman has been subject to prejudicial or illegal acts.
Mr Acting Speaker, on the weekend a number of members of the ACT Opposition were a personal witness to certain activity which fits within that description. The Civil Liberties Council then says:
The matter is well known in Canberra and many parts of Australia. It has become a slur on the good name of our police.
I would say that while the Opposition acknowledges that this fact of following Mr Eastman has become well known, we would not state that that is a slur on the good name of the police and we dissociate ourselves from that part of the statement. The third point made by the Civil Liberties Council is:
The ACT police have responsibilities which include both the dedicated pursuit of Mr Colin Winchester's murderer and also the protection of each and every citizen.
The Opposition would agree with that point. The fourth point made by the Civil Liberties Council is:
The information available requires immediate action so that David Eastman can be seen to be protected as fully as every citizen expects.
The ACT Opposition would agree with that statement. The final point made by the Civil Liberties Council is:
Police inquiries and the intervention of the Commonwealth Ombudsman have not proved effective. The good name of the ACT police and our justice system and of the new minister require that action be seen to be taken to protect this man's civil liberties.
The ACT Opposition in general supports that. The basic proposition that we make in this adjournment debate is that
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