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Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Page: 4203

Coalmining

(Question No. 792)

Ms Marino asked the Attorney-General, in writing, on 7 February 2012:

Has the Government had, or sought to have, the (a) Australian Federal Police, (b) a private contractor, or (c) any other Government body, monitor opponents of coal mining in the Margaret River; if so, can he provide the nature of the information obtained, and indicate to whom that information was distributed.

Ms Roxon: The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(a) No. The AFP has not been involved in monitoring opponents monitoring of coal mining in the Margaret River region.

(b) Not applicable.

(c) In accordance with longstanding practice, for security reasons, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) does not comment on whether a specific matter is, or is not, the subject of an ASIO investigation.

However, it should be emphasised that ASIO's interest is only in protest activity that is relevant to ASIO's remit of 'security' as defined in the ASIO Act - that is, protest activity that is, or has the potential to be, violent for the purposes of achieving a political objective.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 specifically states that ASIO shall not 'limit the right of persons to engage in lawful advocacy, protest or dissent' and that 'the exercise of that right shall not, by itself, be regarded as prejudicial to security'.