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Jack Thomas - and your and my rights

News just in as reported by the SMH [full article here]:

"A magistrate has blasted the federal government for including terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden's name in a list of people that cannot be contacted by terror suspect Jack Thomas.

In the federal magistrates court in Canberra, magistrate Graham Mowbray accused the government of turning the proceedings into a farce by including Bin Laden's name on an extensive list of people who Mr Thomas is not permitted to contact."

This whole Thomas affair is lurching along all over the place. Here you have the Magistrate who made the original restraining Order critical of the Government whilst over at The Australian trial of Thomas, and his wife, by media rolls on. The Australian stands condemned!

It all goes to show and prove how what is at issue here is so important to reflect on. Brian Walters SC, President of Liberty Victoria, in an op-ed piece in The Age addresses the issues:

"Jack Thomas was at the beach with his family when he was served with a control order signed by Attorney-General Philip Ruddock. He was required to return to Melbourne immediately. He will now be subject to a curfew and a requirement that he report to police daily, as well as other restrictions.

Although a magistrate will consider this further, he or she can only do so on a very limited basis. There will be no fair trial of the issues. There will be no proper rules of evidence. There will be no presumption of innocence. We have departed from centuries of hard-won democratic tradition under which deprivation of liberty can only follow an accusation of crime, with a trial in which guilt would have to be proved beyond reasonable doubt."

Read this sober, rationally and carefully argued and compelling piece, in full, here.

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