Fed: Govt under pressure to agree to ASIO compromise
CANBERRA, Dec 4 AAP - Attorney-General Daryl Williams is under pressure to compromiseagain on proposed new powers for the nation's domestic spy agency following a Senate committeeinquiry.
The committee recommended limits to ASIO's powers to detain and question people suspectedof having information about terrorist attacks, including appointing retired judges tosupervise questioning.
But a spokeswoman for Mr Williams said it was unlikely the government would acceptthe recommendations.
Liberal MP David Jull, chairman of an all-party inquiry into the bill which resultedin earlier changes, said the debate over increased powers for ASIO versus civil libertieshad already gone on far too long.
He said he hoped the proposed compromise would prove workable.
"My understanding is that the attorney-general is having a look at it and that willhappen pretty soon.
"I just hope we get a speedy passage of that bill because it's essential that ASIOhas those increased powers," he said.
Opposition Leader Simon Crean said the compromise gave ASIO the extra powers it neededwithout turning Australia into a police state and he hoped Mr Williams would reconsiderhis opposition.
"I'm sure that if Daryl Williams sits down and looks through these initiatives constructivelyhe can't ignore the basis on which they are argued," he said.
"Importantly, though, he can't ignore the fact that there are people in his own partythat support the changes."
The planned powers would allow ASIO to seek a warrant to detain and question peoplefor up to 48 hours to investigate terrorism.
Suspects could be detained for up to seven days if the proposals are cemented into law.
The Senate committee's chairman Nick Bolkus said Mr Williams had given a knee-jerkreaction to the committee report and had not had time to properly digest it.
National Party MP Paul Neville said there was no point passing the legislation if itwas too watered down.
"You either do this thing properly or you don't do it at all, and I think the attorney-generalhas got it well in hand," he said.
But the Australian Democrats and the Australian Greens said the compromise still went too far.
"It's draconian, it gives powers to ASIO when quite frankly we need to assess whetheror not they use the powers they've got now appropriately," Democrats leader Andrew Bartlettsaid.
AAP kmh/sm/apm/bwl
KEYWORD: ASIO LEAD
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