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National Security Law Symposium
Sydney, 12 March 2005

On 12 March 2005 , the ALRC hosted a small, invitation-only National Security Law Symposium in the Federal Court’s Conference Room in Sydney.

The Symposium was aimed at facilitating high-level discussion of issues of current legal interest broadly related to Keeping Secrets: The Protection of Classified and Security Sensitive Information (ALRC 98, 2004) and provided the opportunity for discussions by the 69 Symposium participants.

The Symposium was conducted according to the ‘Chatham House rule’, under which participants are asked not to disclose the identify or affiliation of other participants. The Chatham House rule is used throughout the world as an aid to full and frank discussion. It does not prevent participants from using the information received, nor does it prevent participants from disclosing their own contribution to the discussion.

As participants came from a range of backgrounds in the public service and the private sector, and were not asked about their security clearance status, no classified or security sensitive information was presented at the Symposium. Approval has been received from delegates and speakers to publish the following papers.

Allan Behm, Knowledge Pond Ltd – ‘Which way is up? Discontinuity, complexity and ambiguity in the global strategic environment’

Damien Bugg QC, Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions – ‘Terrorism Offences’

Bill Campbell QC, Office of International Law, Attorney-General’s Department – ‘The Adequacy of International Rules Governing the Use of Force to Counter Terrorism’

The Hon Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG, High Court of Australia – ‘National Security: Proportionality, Restraint and Commonsense’

Chris Moraitis, Senior Legal Adviser, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – ‘Countering terrorism, international law and the use of force’

Dr James Renwick, NSW Bar – ‘Something new under the sun – Criminal Law & Terrorism – New concepts and procedures and how we got there’

Professor Don Rothwell, University of Sydney – ‘Law and Practice of Anticipatory Self-Defence’

Dr Christopher Ward, NSW Bar – ‘Universal jurisdiction and the prosecution of the war on terror: international and domestic law intersect’

Professor David Weisbrot, President, Australian Law Reform Commission – ‘Keeping Secrets: The Protection of Classified and Security Sensitive Information’

This page was posted 18 November 2005

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