2015-12-01
The government has blocked a proposed Senate vote on alleged Australian spying on Timor Leste, but the Greens have warned that the messy truth will eventually come out.
Australian Greens foreign affairs spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam co-sponsored the motion with Senator Nick Xenophon, seeking to have the passport of a key witness returned so that he can give evidence in international arbitration brought by the Government of Timor Leste.
"The Government denied leave for this motion to even be put to a vote, which is an apt metaphor for their conduct during this whole sordid affair," Senator Ludlam said.
"A recent Lateline report deepened the sense of scandal around the allegations of bugging of East Timorese cabinet rooms in 2004. Leading Timorese officials have argued that using overseas intelligence agency ASIS to conduct this operation would be illegal. It is hard to argue that it would be immoral.
"If the Turnbull government is at all interested in matching actions with its rhetoric about stronger engagement with our region, it will take steps to remove any obstacles preventing these allegations from being heard in an open court," Senator Ludlam said.
"A statement to the Senate as to its real intentions and motives would have been a good start."
http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/motions/legal-action-agains...