Emma Clancy, Perth
More than 100 protesters occupied the Western Australian ALP state conference on November 26, held at the Perth Convention Centre.
The protesters urged federal Labor to vote against the Coalition government's so-called anti-terrorism legislation when it is presented to parliament, and called on state ALP governments not to pass the enabling legislation in state parliaments. The activists chanted loudly: "We don't want a police state! We will not cooperate!" and occupied the building until a representative from the conference accepted a petition.
The protest action was organised by a coalition that included trade unions, peace and refugee groups, Amnesty International, the Greens, the Socialist Alliance and human rights lawyers, which has been meeting regularly to plan a campaign against the police-state laws.
On November 17, in the WA parliament's upper house, the Liberals and Greens blocked a key part of Premier Geoff Gallop's "anti-terror" legislation. The proposed laws would have enabled the police commissioner or Supreme Court judges to issue warrants allowing police to stop and search individuals, vehicles and whole areas if a terror attack had occurred or was deemed "imminent". The Liberals and Greens blocked the aspect of this law that would have disallowed the targets of such warrants to appeal against the granting of the warrant through the judicial system.
The petition to the ALP state conference read in part: "We call on the Australian Labor Party to acknowledge the Howard government's so-called 'anti-terror' legislation for what it is — a far-reaching and severe attack on our democratic rights. Instead of uncritically supporting the legislation, the ALP should acknowledge the widespread public dissent to these attacks on our civil rights, and fulfill its role as the major opposition party by helping to subject the legislation to public scrutiny and debate.
"We call on this WA ALP State Conference to declare its opposition to the Federal Anti-Terrorism Bill (No.2) 2005, and to reject the complementary State laws. The State 'anti-terror' stop and search legislation being proposed by the Gallop government is unnecessary and draconian, and would make police unaccountable for their actions."
To get involved in the campaign coalition, phone 0422 990 040 or (08) 9218 9608.
From Green Left Weekly, November 30, 2005.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.