These letters are from the Sydney Morning Herald:

~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ War on terrorism morphs into a war on dissent

September 13, 2005

There are security concerns about Scott Parkin, such that it takes six immigration officers to nab him mid-cappuccino in a Melbourne cafe (“Outcry over plan to deport activist as a security threat”, Herald, September 12).

A history teacher from Houston, Texas, is involved in non-violent action like street theatre (dressing up as Halliburton executives with their snouts in troughs). What is his weaponry? Artline markers on butcher’s paper hanging on a wall, filled with ideas of engagement and dialogue. He has given workshops on non-violent methods of suggesting there might be moral dimensions to the behaviour of governments and corporations.

Against him the US Government (and then, naturally, our own) invoke security so they don’t have to explain anything to us. This is how they use the powers they have now, and yet Howard and Ruddock ask us to trust them to give them more.

The war on terrorism has extended to a war on dissent.

Paul Wilson Annandale

When an American peace activist who speaks out against George Bush’s policies is detained for being a “threat to national security” we can see just how the new terrorism legislation will work.

Pip Denton Guildford

So non-violence is now a threat to national security in this war on terrorism. Even Orwell would be impressed by that one.

Justin Whelan Petersham

The arrest of American peace activist Scott Parkin has set my alarm bells ringing. I’ve voted Liberal all my life, but now I think I’m going to have to vote for someone else. Although the Libs are good for the economy, I’d rather have less prosperity than live in a police state.

No amount of prosperity can compensate for the democratic freedoms that the Liberals are taking away. This is the beginning of a very nasty downhill slide. This is the sort of thing that doesn’t happen in Western democracies. This is the sort of thing that only happens in morally and politically corrupt Third World countries. And now it’s happening here.

Look out, Mr Howard, we Australians love our freedom, and when you start taking it away from us we’ll remove you from government.

Lau Guerreiro Oxford Falls

How much lower can this Government sink? Seeking to deport a bloke for promoting peace!

Jim Iveson Hornsby Heights

The continuing wisdom of the Howard Government never ceases to amaze. With the impending deportation of Scott Parkin, it appears to have identified a greater threat to Australia than terrorism: peace.

Margaret Van Heekeren Bathurst

Think about it. Three months ago Scott Parkin was given a visa. Now it seems he is such a threat to our national security that he has been picked up by John Howard’s storm-troopers, who usually nab kids from primary school, and interned. If Parkin was a terrorist he would have had enough time to wreak havoc and leave. This is real “keystone cops” stuff.

Any Howard Government acquiescence to the US in this matter would be the biggest threat to our national security. For ASIO’s benefit, John Howard lives at Kirribilli.

Greg Loder Springwood

In reply to G. Borthwick (Letters, September 12), should there be a terrorism attack in Australia, I shall certainly blame Mr Howard; not for doing too little, but for doing too much to invite terrorism.

Lisa Penlington Artarmon

The plight of Scott Parkin should serve as a warning. If the Howard Government’s enhanced counter-terrorism proposals become law, anyone imprudent enough to have a letter published in the Herald commenting on John Howard’s integrity deficiency, or George Bush’s military pursuit of America’s oil supply on Halliburton’s behalf, could reasonably expect a visit by the boys from ASIO.

Richard Keyes Enfield

First they came for the peace activists and I did not speak out because I was not a peace activist.

Andrew Worssam Bondi

How ironic. The gagging of peace activist Scott Parkin effectively silences any robust debate, which is a fundamental tenet of democracy. The Federal Government has succumbed to those tactics abhorrent to the notion of freedom.

Diane Dennis Hazelbrook

“Blessed are the peacemakers” for they shall be deported . even with a valid visa.

Denise Woods Forbes ———————–

More background to the story from ABC radio: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2005/s1459524.htm

US peace activist to appeal against cancellation of visa

PM – Tuesday, 13 September , 2005 18:25:00 Reporter: Lyn Bell PETER CAVE: Lawyers for the detained American peace activist Scott Parkin say he’ll be deported from Australia on Thursday.

He’ll have to pay for the cost of his detention at the Melbourne Custody Centre, for his airfare, and for the airfares of two escorts.

But he’ll continue to appeal against the cancellation of his visa.

Scott Parkin’s visitor?s visa was cancelled last Saturday, when he was deemed to be a threat to Australia’s national security.

He’s currently being held in isolation, and his lawyer says that Mr Parkin has also been denied contact with his family in the United States.

The Federal Attorney General, Philip Ruddock, says Mr Parkin’s detention is not political, but he’s refusing to reveal why the 35-year-old American has been classed as a security risk.

Lynn Bell reports.

LYNN BELL: Scott Parkin is now considered an unlawful non-citizen in Australia, and he’s about to spend a fourth night in detention at the Melbourne Custody Centre.

The Federal Attorney General, Philip Ruddock, explained the technical reason for his detention on ABC radio.

PHILIP RUDDOCK: The reason that he’s in custody is because his visa’s been cancelled. The reason his visa has been cancelled is because he’s received an adverse security assessment. ASIO is responsible for protecting the Australian community from all forms of politically motivated violence, including violent protest activity. They’ve made an assessment in relation to those matters. Certainly they take no action in relation to lawful protest activity, but the assessment’ has been made in accordance with the provisions of the ASIO Act.

LYNN BELL: But exactly why Scott Parkin’s visa was cancelled is still unknown, and his lawyers have challenged the Federal Government to make the security assessment public.

Mr Ruddock says he can’t discuss matters relating to ASIO’s assessment, but he notes Mr Parkin is not accused of committing a crime.

The Federal Attorney General has also ruled out any political intervention in the case.

PHILIP RUDDOCK: It hasn’t been influenced by me, my colleagues, or any foreign government influence.

LYNN BELL: Nicola Roxon is the Shadow Attorney General, and she says it’s difficult to determine if that’s accurate.

NICOLA ROXON: I think it does raise a worrying question mark about whether judgements are being made or affected in some way politically, and Mr Ruddock says that hasn?t been the case here, but the worrying thing from Labor’s perspective is we really have no way or knowing whether that’s accurate or not.

LYNN BELL: Scott Parkin lives in Houston, Texas, and arrived in Australia on a six-month visitor visa, in June.

At the time, he was not deemed a threat to national security.

Since then he?s taken part in workshops with activists, anti-war rallies, and Greenpeace protests.

And Greens Senator, Kerry Nettle, raised the matter in Parliament this afternoon.

KERRY NETTLE: The Attorney General has said that the security assessment has been made upon matters relating to protest activity. Given that I attended the protest held in Sydney at the Opera House on the 30th of August, as did Mr Parkin, does this fact mean that ASIO considers me to be a threat also to national security?

Can we take Mr Parkin’s detention and pending deportation as an indication that the Government would detain Australian peace activists if they had the laws to do so? And would the Government deport me if they also could?

SPEAKER: Order! Senator Ellison.

CHRIS ELLISON: Well, can I say, Mr President, we all know that in order to be here you have to be an Australian citizen, and you don?t deport Australian citizens?

KIM CARR: Oh, don?t you? (laughs)

CHRIS ELLISON: I can say that?

SPEAKER: Order.

CHRIS ELLISON: I say Senator Carr might find that quite funny, but we know ?

SPEAKER: Senator Carr!

CHRIS ELLISON: ?what the law is, and I can say, Mr President ?

KIM CARR: Take your tablets.

SPEAKER: Senator Carr, come to order.

CHRIS ELLISON: ?that the suggestion by Senator Nettle is a farcical one.

MP: Go and have a lie down!

LYNN BELL: The Federal Justice Minister, Chris Ellison.

Scott Parkin has agreed to be removed from Australia on Thursday, but he’ll continue to appeal against the cancellation of his visa. And he’ll have to pay the cost of his incarceration, his airfare home, and the airfares for two escorts.

Greenpeace campaigner Danny Kennedy says deportation could have serious consequences.

DANNY KENNEDY: If Scott Parkin is deported for his peaceful protests, he will not only not be able to return to Australia, but it is highly likely he won?t be able to travel again in his lifetime.

In other words, he’ll be stuck in the United States unable to get safe passage to any country because his passport will have this black mark against his name, which the Australian Government has put there by alleging he is some sort of national security threat without making any clarity of the charges to him, to his lawyers, or to anyone else.

LYNN BELL: Mr Parkin’s immigration lawyer, Erskine Rodan, agrees the security assessment could restrict his client’s travel in the future.

And the Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, has now added his voice to calls for an explanation of why Scott Parkin was taken into detention last Saturday.

PETER CAVE: Lynn Bell reporting.