 Heavily armed SAS troops could be ordered on to Sydney's streets during the APEC summit in September, a military law academic warned today. University of Western Sydney Associate Professor Michael Head said new powers, including expanded rights to shoot to kill, were given to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in last year's military callout legislation.
He said he was disturbed by last year's changes to the Commonwealth Defence Act which enhanced the Government's power to mobilise troops. "The troops have considerably wider and legally protected rights to use lethal force," Prof Head said today.
| Quite right, good man, far better to let the terrs kill everyone at the Summit. How unsporting, really ... |
Unprecedented security will be in force in Sydney for a week of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings which will climax on September 7, 8 and 9 with a leaders' summit .
Prof Head said the ADF had recently announced plans to use heavily armed SAS commandos to protect government leaders and officials. The callout of troops during APEC was an example of the creeping militarisation of Australia, he said. "Any perceived security threat to the APEC participants, whether an alleged terrorist plot or political protest, could see the heavily armed SAS Tactical Assault Group called out on Sydney streets," Prof Head said.
| You might wish to remain confined to your bed the entire time, I don't see how you'll survive ... |
The Prime Minister or two authorising ministers could now order troops onto the streets if they thought critical infrastructure or a commonwealth interest was threatened by domestic violence, Prof Head said.
| Since that's what a military does, defend the country against threats foreign or domestic ... |
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