Shoot-to-kill plans aren't new, PM says(Australia)

[cal04]

Prime Minister John Howard says he will speak to state leaders about their concerns about shoot-to-kill provisions contained the Commonwealth's draft anti-terrorism legislation. Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks and their Western Australian counterpart, Geoff Gallop, say they never agreed to the shoot-to-kill provisions.

The premiers say the draft legislation differs from an agreement the state leaders reached with the Prime Minister at last month's Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting. The state leaders are concerned the draft introduces a shoot-to-kill provision against terrorism suspects who flee when arrested under a preventative detention order.

The Commonwealth-state agreement on preventative detention orders means someone thought to be involved in terrorist activity could be detained for two weeks without charge. But the premiers say they never agreed to a shoot-to-kill provision and want it removed from the draft. However, Mr Howard says there is nothing new about the plans as they already exist in both Victorian and Commonwealth legislation.

"All we're proposing to do is extend the codification of the long-standing common law to circumstances that might arise from preventive detention," he said. "We are not giving police the right to kill somebody who's escaping preventive detention."
Not included
But Mr Beattie says the new provision is unnecessary. "That wasn't included in the discussion," he told ABC TV's Lateline program last night.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1486456.ht...

[AussieDave]

1. This is something that prick Howard does all the time

proposes all these outlandish things, then when people start throwing shit at it, he backs down just a little then says it's what he intended all along.

No wonder W lurves him so.........

[anotherdrew]

2. macho posing bullshit from Australia, surprise, surprise

if you've found "someone thought to be involved in terrorist activity"

WHY IN HELL WOULD YOU disappear them for two weeks? FER GOD'S SAKE, WATCH THEM LIKE HAWKS, find out who they communicate with, etc...

Have they forgotten how to do basic police work?