31 March 2004
Court decision means Greig should be 'outski', not Zaoui

Green MP Keith Locke has hailed the High Court determination that the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security should be taken off the review of the Ahmed Zaoui case after showing apparent bias.

"This is a tremendous victory for Mr Zaoui and for fairness in our justice system," said Mr Locke, the Greens' Foreign Affairs Spokesperson.

"The Prime Minister owes the public an apology for backing an Inspector General whose apparent bias against refugees meant that he couldn't properly review the Security Risk Certificate the SIS issued against Mr Zaoui.

"The Prime Minister has no choice but to take Mr Greig off the case, if he doesn't resign first.

"Laurie Greig should also be sacked from the post of Inspector General. The court decision shows Mr Greig was too much in bed with the SIS, one of the two security agencies he is supposed to be reviewing. Rather than be our watchdog over security agencies, Mr Greig has proven to be their lapdog.

"The Government has now lost on all three issues it has defended in the High Court and should quit while it's behind. It would be unjust for the Government to now proceed with its case to the Court of Appeal to have human rights taken out of the Inspector-General's consideration of the Security Risk Certificate.

"Mr Zaoui's stay in jail has been extended to 16 months, largely because the lawyers were forced to go to court on more than one occasion to get a fair hearing for their client. Natural justice would dictate that he should now be let free to take his place in our community as a refugee, as determined by the Refugee Status Appeals Authority.

"At the very least Mr Zaoui should be transferred from prison to the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre or be bonded to stay with a respected member of the community while his case is heard. It would be an obscenity for him to be forced to stay in jail for two years or more while a replacement for Laurie Greig is appointed and further proceedings ensue," said Mr Locke.

ENDS

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