By Bonny Burrows
Law enforcement would be given greater powers to detain terror suspects, under plans by La Trobe MP Jason Wood to toughen up laws aimed at preventing domestic terror attacks.
In the wake of 5 June’s deadly Brighton siege, Mr Wood – a former counter-terrorism police officer – has called for his government to fast-track laws which would give police the power to detain suspects for 14 days.
This would be similar to laws in Britain, where suspects can be held without charge for two weeks while being interviewed.
Mr Wood told Star News unlike with drug and other police operations, suspected terrorism required immediate action, and such attacks on home soil were “nothing new and only going to get worse”.
“This is a tool police are absolutely asking for,” Mr Wood said.
“The golden rule of policing is that the longer you talk to someone, the more chance you’re going to get information out of them.”
Part of the reform would include the introduction of community prevention intervention orders (CPIO), similar to family-violence style IOs, for anyone deemed to be radicalised or at risk of being radicalised, even if they were not planning an attack.
Mr Wood said police would be notified, through family members and friends, of concerns regarding extremist behaviours, which they could then investigate while placing the person on a CPIO.
If placed on an order, the person would be banned from contacted those influencing the person and from the method of communication used.
“Whether that person is being radicalised by social media from overseas, self-radicalising by looking at Youtube videos or hanging out with extremists, we cut off that contact,” Mr Wood said.
“Currently, police have no powers to stop people going down that path.”
As a former cop, Mr Wood said he’d seen how “uniquely complex and huge” counter terrorism operations were.
Police did an excellent job, he said, but were limited in what they could do.
“With a drug op, you’ve got room to allow the investigation to grow. You can monitor them over a period of time. With terrorism, police don’t have the same luxury,” he said, pointing to the Brighton siege.
In 2009, the Brighton gunman was acquitted of terrorism offences relating to the planned attack of the Holsworthy army base in south-west Sydney.
Mr Wood argued that the gunman should have been placed on a community prevention intervention order back when he first came on the police’s radar, almost a decade ago.
“At the moment police can only act when something bad takes place,” Mr Wood said, adding that without tougher laws “this was going to continue happening”.
“I definitely have a feeling from the public of great concern and I share their concern,” Mr Wood said.
He said that concern was warranted.
“Federally, we are putting together strong laws, but it’s difficult when the state doesn’t follow along.
“These are really tough measures we’re proposing, but we need them.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the State Government would continue to work with the Commonwealth and other states to respond to the “evolving threat of terrorism”.
“We need to work together on national security, not just by sharing information but by sharing responsibility,” Mr Andrews said.
“Violent extremism is a reality we have to confront in our state and across our nation; clearly action is needed on parole and more broadly across our justice systems.”
“In the event that parole decisions need to be made for someone on a terrorist watch list, we want the experts in our national security agencies to be directly involved in the decision making process.”
Mr Wood has discussed the proposed measures with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, however Mr Turnbull has not publicly commented on the reforms.
