top neo con may go for a row, page-5

new terror laws hmm interesting in context with certain posts;

Terror laws carry jail term for 'ill will'
Samantha Maiden
October 15, 2005

SWEEPING new anti-terror laws include a plan to jail people for up to seven years for promoting feelings of "ill will" or hostility between different groups that would threaten the peace.

As John Howard yesterday defended the measures, the federal Government was angered by ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope's decision to publish the 107-page draft bill on his website.

Surprising legal experts with the scope and definition of terrorist acts, the laws would also make it a criminal offence to support a terrorist act, directly or indirectly.

However, elements of the terrorism advocacy provisions are expected to be watered down after a backbench revolt over the draconian laws.

Speaking at a Canberra mosque yesterday, Mr Stanhope explained his decision to support the legislation but also to publish the draft laws in defiance of a directive from Attorney-General Philip Ruddock.

"Today I invite Canberra's Muslims to see for themselves the draft legislation the Prime Minister has presented to the states and territories for their consideration," he said.

"I do not wish to deceive you. The laws to which I have agreed are unpalatable laws. They are laws I never anticipated I would be called upon to consider.

"I believe it is wrong and counterproductive for us to keep insisting that this behaviour has no causal links to our invasion of Iraq. I also believe that the anxiety and dislocation felt by Muslims can no longer be seen in isolation from the West's behaviour in relation to Palestine."

The Prime Minister defended the laws, arguing that a one-day Senate inquiry into the sweeping laws would be supported by a longer period of parliamentary scrutiny.

"The essence of this legislation has already been approved by all state governments ... all of which I remind you are controlled by the Labor Party," he said.

The chairman of the backbench committee on Attorney-General matters, Liberal senator George Brandis, confirmed yesterday the concerns of some Coalition MPs and indicated that talks were continuing.

"The Attorney-General has already met the government backbench committee for six hours in the course of two meetings to discuss the draft bill and has shown a spirit of co-operation in attempts to meet the concerns raised," Senator Brandis said.

"Those meetings have not completed so I don't know what Mr Stanhope has published, but it shouldn't be thought that the process of consultation has finished."

Asked yesterday by the Howard Government to remove the draft laws from their website, Mr Stanhope's office simply replied: "It's not coming down".

President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, John von Doussa QC, also expressed concerns at the Government's plans to rush its new anti-terrorism legislation.

"We have heard much from the Government about safeguards that are to be placed upon these draconian powers, but it is only when the detail of these protections are examined through the committee process that potential problems may be identified," Mr von Doussa said.

"In my view, proper public scrutiny stands to assist the Government by ensuring that the legislation is properly drafted, thus reducing the likelihood that it will be challenged in the courts."