Slashdot Mirror
Australian Police Chief Seeks Terror Reporting Ban
DJMajah writes "News.com.au reports that Australian Federal Police chief Mick Keelty has called for a media blackout on reporting of terrorism investigations and cases before trial in a speech to the Sydney Institute last night. Although he doesn't believe public institutions should be immune from public accountability, he goes on to say that public discussion should be delayed until information is made available by the courts or legal proceedings are complete. This all comes after last year's widely reported case of Dr. Mohammed Haneef who was detained then later deported from Australia on evidence described as weak — and seen by some, including Haneef, as a conspiracy."
If the media can only report what the courts tell them, then who's to say that the information isn't censored? Seems very 1984ish to me. If Australia takes this step, it's only a matter of time before they're creating news altogether.
Wow, seriously.
It always starts small -- shut down the press for this reason, and then expand and control.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. I simply cannot believe that people would make such recommendations, and not understand the import of their intent.
It's one thing for a tin-pot dictator in the middle of nowhere to do so, and it is quite another for someone in a position of authority in a western-styled democracy to make such statements. Then again, could be that the position of authority is what's making him make such statements.
I am just... baffled.
The Federal Government and the Prime Minister have said they have no intentions of doing this.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudd-blacks-out-keeltys-opinion/2008/01/31/1201714110077.html
Those poor Australian police. All that open, free society stuff is just so darned inconvenient when you want to make sure some guy's enjoying the attentions of an Egyptian torturer before news of his arrest is published.
If I was Osama, I'd be laughing myself sick watching these clowns destroy that nasty, evil free society I hate so much. I couldn't do a better job with another hundred planes.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
He's calling for an end to criticism of government institutions, specifically himself. This is particularly inappropriate given his record of incompetence and false charges against Mohammed Haneef.
Wouldn't we all like to be protected from criticism of ourselves and our incompetence.
But then I realized that he fully bought into the fairy tale and just wanted to make sure that the people nabbed and tazered while waiting to board their flights are prosecuted in star chambers.
Oh well.
-FL
He's also been criticised heavily by the Federal Opposition spokeperson on justice matters, Christopher Pyne, whose party appointed Keelty to the job and under whose watch most of the contentious matters Keelty is referring to occurred.
The organization Keelty heads, the Australian Federal Police, screwed up a terrorism case badly (the guy was a doctor who had the misfortune to have some distant relatives amongst the British firebombers of last year) in a blaze of publicity. He's coming across as blaming the messenger for his organization's faults.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
--Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
This is basically a last ditch attempt by the police to try and get the cushy situation their compatriots have in the US where all it takes is a gut feeling and cries of national security to toss someone in Guantanamo Bay. The judges aren't letting them do that here, and the public is getting royally pissed off(the Haneef and APEC failures were a part, if only a small part, of getting the previous government kicked out of office).
Even if our FOI laws aren't the greatest they're not actually going to censor this sort of thing.
It's important to understand who this address was delivered to, The Sydney Institute. They like to pretend they're a neutral think-tank but in reality are firmly alligned to the right wing on most, if not all issues.
You post as an Anonymous Coward on slashdot and you can't see how media censorship affects you? Please.
"Whether the story breaks out way before the defendant reaches the court or on the day of he still enjoys the exact same legal rights."
"The media doesn't protect people's rights, the courts do."
You have contradicted your own argument, if the media has no effect on a persons rights then it shouldn't matter what (or when) they report.
The police are hoping for a little temporary discretion from the media while terrorism cases (always an emotive point nowadays) are being investigated.
IMO the AFP should not expect that when they themselves leak details of the investigation to the media.
Blank until
and wonder why banning people from dialing 911 (or whatever the emergency phone number is in australia is) is a good thing?
there are 10 types of people in this world; those who get this joke, and those who don't
Compare no, link yes! This is Mick trying to cover Mick's arse by blaming the media. Previously he has tried to blame scotland yard, Indian police, unidentified tipsters, the chief prosecuter, disloyal officers, and of course Haneef himself. Personly I am suprised he hasn't thought of pinning the mess on Corey
Mick's problem is not that he prostitutes his position to curry political favour, it's the fact that everyone knows it.
As for Labour sticking with Mick, not a chance! Remeber in 2000 the AFP raided the home of a Labour MP's adviser in what amounted to a fishing expedition on opposition foreign policy of the time. Labour will relish doing Mick slowly and publicly with the promised full blown inquiry. As for Labour being any better, well soak in the irony of Rudd suggesting Mick's opinion on censorship should be censored.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.