InBrief

The president of the Bar Association, Michael Slattery QC, has written to state and federal authorities concerning security arrangements that will be in force during the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (‘APEC’) Conference in September 2007.

Media reports suggest that police and security personnel may require workers to produce special identification, such as an employer’s letter or similar credentials, in order to establish a ‘legitimate reason’ to gain access to ‘declared’ APEC security zones in the Sydney CBD during the conference period.

The New South Wales Bar Association is a member of the APEC Working Group concerning court sittings during the conference period, which has been convened by the New South Wales Attorney General’s Department. Although the precise location of the restricted areas has not been finalised, the association has been advised that access to the northern part of the CBD is likely to be restricted from King Street to Circular Quay and the Rocks.

This area would include not only the Law Courts Building and surrounds, but a large number of barristers’ chambers in and around Phillip Street.

‘The association recognises the need for special security arrangements to apply during the APEC conference period’ said Mr Slattery. ‘However, it is in the interests of all citizens that any disruption caused by these arrangements for the court system is minimised’.

The Bar Association has requested that, if special credentials are to be required, police and security personnel should be authorised to accept the association’s photo ID card as sufficient identification to enable them to access restricted areas for the purposes of their work.

At present, a New South Wales Bar Association photo ID card is accepted by the Department of Corrective Services to enable access to prisons.

Contact the Bar Association’s reception on ph: (02) 9232 4055 to arrange for a photo ID card.

25 June 2007

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