Inquiry into activist Scott Parkin deportation rejected

AAP
Oct. 06, 2005

The Senate rejected a bid by the Australian Greens to set up an inquiry into the deportation of American activist Scott Parkin.

Mr Parkin was arrested in Melbourne and flown back to the US after the government, acting on security advice, cancelled his visa last month.

It has never said why he was a security risk, although a report in The Australian newspaper on September 22 said ASIO believed he was planning to teach local demonstrators how to disable police horses and free protesters from custody.

The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security is inquiring into ASIO's role in the deportation.

But Greens senator Bob Brown said a parliamentary inquiry was needed to ensure the government was brought to account and discover what pressure was brought to bear by the US administration.

Senator Brown said it was likely Mr Parkin would now be prevented from getting visas to other countries because of the government's action.

"He is opposed to any form of gratuitous animal cruelty and ditto for affronting the police in the way that is advocated," Senator Brown said.

"But the accusation was not that he had ever advocated such things ... but that he was going to.

"Now what country are we in? Surely the inquisition is behind us, surely the Salem witchcraft trials are some centuries ago ... but no, in the year 2005 this peaceful man advocating peace in our peace-loving democracy is picked up in a police state operation, had his visa removed ... and was deported without any due reason being given at all."

Labor justice spokesman Joe Ludwig said the opposition would not support the motion because security sensitive information should not be aired in public.

Senator Ludwig said Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, who received a secret briefing on the Parkin issue, had been satisfied with the briefing.

Nationals deputy leader in the Senate Sandy McDonald said the government would not compromise national security to satisfy Senator Brown.

Senator McDonald said the issue would be handled by the inspector-general in an independent and thorough way.

The motion failed 8-55.