Fed: Labor to overhaul sedition laws if it wins government

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2007
Fed: Labor to overhaul sedition laws if it wins government

The federal government's controversial sedition laws will be wound back and new legislation
introduced to protect whistleblowers .. if Labor wins power at this year's federal election.

On the final day of Labor's national conference .. party members unanimously passed
a motion to scrap the sedition laws and replace them with safeguards for free speech.

The federal government introduced the sedition laws in late 2005 .. as part of a package
of legislation designed to target terrorism.

But the sedition laws sparked outrage from civil rights lawyers .. judges .. journalists
.. artists and politicians.

Former leader KIM BEAZLEY vowed to overturn them if Labor won government .. and the
ALP's adopted his promise .. saying it will overhaul the laws in line with recommendations
from the Law Reform Commission.

Labor will also beef up laws to protect whistleblowers and people who provide confidential
information to professionals such as doctors .. journalists and priests.

AAP RTV bt/imc/af

KEYWORD: LABOR SEDITION (SYDNEY)

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