Fed: Senate set to demand inquiry into Tampa spy claims

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Fed: Senate set to demand inquiry into Tampa spy claims

CANBERRA, Feb 13 AAP - The Australian Democrats and The Greens will put motions beforethe Senate today demanding investigation into revelations Australia spied on the Norwegianrescue ship, MV Tampa.

Democrats leader Natasha Stott Despoja said her motion would seek to direct the Inspector-Generalof Intelligence and Security, Bill Blick, to investigate the matter and report to theSenate.

Greens Senator Bob Brown said he would put a similar motion to the vote, although therehad not been discussions between the two key Senate parties.

Newspaper reports yesterday said the highly secret Defence Signals Directorate (DSD)monitored satellite phone conversations from the Tampa following its rescue of 438 boatpeople near Christmas Island last August.

It cited a senior government source who claimed transcripts of maritime union conversationswere used to help formulate a political response to the crisis.

Senator Stott Despoja said today she expected support from both Labor and the Greensto the motion.

"We understand that there is some form of investigation underway by Mr Blick, but wewant to ensure that the investigation does happen and that the results of that investigationare made public and certainly that the results are provided to the Senate," she told reporters.

"We believe this is the fastest way to get information on what's happened."

Senator Stott Despoja also said other investigations and committee probes had not been ruled out.

"We know that some people are still talking about the possibility of a judicial inquiry,"

she said.

"Let's get some results from the Inspector-General first and then determine what'sthe next best course of action."

Senator Brown said Defence Minister Robert Hill's admission yesterday that surveillanceof the Tampa had taken place was not enough.

"If Senator Hill had said what the breach was it would have cleared the air a lot more.

He's going to have to say that," he said.

"Really, both his statement and the statement from the Attorney-General (Daryl Williams)have heightened the concern that I have that there's the potential for abuse having beenmade of the law and the whole matter needs opening to the public.

"What we have to have coming out of this, is absolute public, transparent assurancethat information such as that gathered by the DSD cannot be used against Australian citizensfor any purpose."

AAP dep/wo/br

KEYWORD: SPY DESPOJA