The event
will see 21 of the world’s most powerful people – including the US President
and leaders of Japan, Russia, China and Indonesia (each with personal security
detail), high-level bureaucrats, business leaders and media representatives –
descend upon the city.
Between
6,000 and 7,000 executive hotel rooms will be required, with the US President
and his entourage rumoured to require an entire five-star hotel just for
themselves! Security bill estimates, taking into account thousands of federal
and state police plus the SAS, begin at $15 million!
During the
summit, the CBD will be cordoned off, roads closed and public transport
affected. There will be a closer watch for threats of terrorism and
introduction of new police powers and penalties.
There are
concerns that any new police powers remain proportionate to risk – in
particular that distinctions are clearly maintained between “activist” and
“terrorist”.
It is also
important that powers granted in the wake of race riots in Cronulla not be
extended to deal with the very different situation of public demonstrations
against globalisation or war.
Sydney will follow Shanghai’s lead
and implement a special public holiday on 7 September to encourage locals to
vacate the Sydney
metropolitan area. Understandably, the Government is keen to make a good
impression on influential visitors, and to avoid the embarrassment of civil
dissent as well as terrorist activity.
In view of
the APEC summit, legal professionals point out that the right to political
protest is a valuable component of a democratic society. It is noted that
activists, many of them younger people, should be entitled to express
themselves peaceably.
However,
the prospect of new police powers including preventative detention (detaining a
person suspected of intent to commit a crime) and covert search warrants, rings
alarm bells. It would be tragic if younger activists or other vulnerable
members of the society were to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong
time.
The prominence
of APEC is a reflection of our region’s economic progress. But the millions of
dollars spent on security reveal the underlying fragility of our economic and
political systems.
We pay a
high price for our freedom, and may even be willing to exchange personal and
social freedoms for the right to free trade and better business relations.
Exactly how high a price are we willing to pay? A local solicitor puts it this
way: “It’s so important that we look out for each other. APEC will be like Sydney during the
Olympics. But this will be Sydney
in a bad mood.”
The NSW Ombudsman will monitor the
situation with respect to new police powers implemented in the run-up to APEC.
To view the latest discussion papers visit http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/whatsnew/latestmedia.html
Source:
South Sydney Herald June 2007 www.southsydneyherald.com.au/