It’s good news for one brave individual who exposed an egregious act of Australian spying, but protections for other whistleblowers remain inadequate, writes Callum Foote.
Source: Collateral damage: Collaery in the clear, but safeguards fall short – Michael West
There is a prima facie case to charge former Labor Party MP, and current Ambassador to Ireland, Gary Gray with criminal offences for his role in the bugging of the East Timor (now Timor-Leste) government which started in 2004 and conspiring to have whistleblowers Witness K and Bernard Collaery falsely charged.
Scott Morrison appointed Gary Gray as Ambassador to Ireland in June 2020 to cover up the East Timor bugging scandal to protect Liberal Party cronies such as Alexander Downer and possibly former Prime Minister John Howard.
This Australian government has been acting as Putin does.
Top-secret evidence will be allowed in the prosecution of Bernard Collaery, the man who exposed Australian spying in East Timor, an ACT Supreme Court judge has ruled. Greg Barns examines the implications. Here’s a test. You have been charged with serious criminal offences and are facing a trial. The prosecution says it can use secret evidence against you. Evidence you and your lawyers are unable to see. Instead the court will appoint a special advocate who can look at the secret evidence and represent your interests. Which country are we in? Russia? China? Or in the United States with its infamous Guantanamo Bay military justice system.
Source: Justice for whistleblower Bernard Collaery is as far away as ever – Michael West Media
Michaela Cash as AG is proving to be as astute as Christian Porter was. With and IQ of a bucket of bricks but persistence of a bear trap she’s determined not to let Porter’s case against ex ACT’s AG Bernard Collaery go. Heaven forbid we might discover the LNP government’s criminal conspiracy in its dealings with Timore Leste and oil companies.
The ruling is a small win for Collaery, but the attorney-general can still choose to make a fresh application for more restrictive orders on the basis of changes to the current circumstances.
The case has already been appealed to the High Court as the Commonwealth seeks to have part of the Court of Appeal judgment – which found secret trials diminished public trust in the justice system – redacted from the public.
Source: Change to secret evidence refused in Bernard Collaery case
olddogthoughts 