Cops want more terror powers
The State Government appears poised to renew and expand extraordinary anti-terrorism powers for WA Police that have never been used since they were introduced 10 years ago.
WA Police's legal and legislative services branch has argued in a report to Police Minister Liza Harvey that the increase in the national terror alert level last September, the activities of Islamic State and the Sydney Lindt cafe siege "highlight the continuing need for this type of legislation".
The Terrorism (Extraordinary Powers) Act 2005 is due to expire under its 10-year sunset clause on December 19.
WA Police argue in the report, which was tabled in State Parliament yesterday, that the law needs to be renewed and expanded as soon as possible.
The law allows police to detain and search a person or vehicle, obtain personal details of certain people, seize items suspected of being connected to a terrorist attack and enter and search any place reasonably suspected of harbouring a target person or vehicle.
The law also allows the Police Commissioner to direct other government agencies to facilitate the use of the extraordinary powers, and allows police to apply to the Supreme Court for covert search warrants to enter premises to respond to or prevent terrorist acts.
One application for a covert search warrant under the Act was made in 2009-10 but was never executed.
"Despite there having been no use of the Act to date, this does not, in the view of WA Police, invite or provide a reason for any reduction or repeal of the present powers," the report to Mrs Harvey said.
"The lifting of the terrorism alert level by the director-general of ASIO from medium to high on September 12, 2014 and the Lindt cafe incident in Sydney on December 15-16, 2014 highlights the continuing need for this type of legislation."
In his address to Parliament yesterday outlining the Government's priorities for the year, Colin Barnett said West Australians had been "horrified by despicable acts of terrorism around the world and in Australia".
"The Government will introduce amendments to the Act to expand powers for police such as the scope of search warrants for covert operations, and to create new offences to combat terrorist activities," the Premier said.
