Security laws for courts

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 11

Security laws for courts

NZPA-AAP Melbourne The Victorian Government will introduce legislation in the next two weeks empowering state courts to maintain secrecy in the interests of national security. The move is designed to aid the Victorian police in gaining all the names of those engaged in the bungled Australian Security Intelligence Service’s Sheraton Hotel raid so that they can be prosecuted under state law. The police have the names of five of those con-

cerned, but the Federal Government has refused to release the remaining seven names because Victorian courts were not able to prevent their publication should the matter go to trial. The state’s Premier, Mr John Cain, said on Tuesday that the legislation’s provisions, which would last for only two years, would enable the Federal Government to release the names to the police. He said that he believed it would also lead to the Commonwealth’s

settling a High Court injunction against the names' release. It would allow the police to complete their investigations of the incident to determine who should be charged. Under the proposed legislation the Victorian or Federal Attorneys-General would have to apply to a Victorian court on the grounds of national interest.

Mr Cain said that the presiding authority would still have discretion to determine the subsequent action on any application.