Pine Gap Trial - June 12

*warning – this material contains information that has not been disclosed to the jury, and must not be read if you are involved with the jury in this case!*

Well, we are over two weeks into a trial that was only supposed to take a maximum of two weeks, and still we go on! With nine lawyers for the crown (against our 3 unrepresented defendants) and it’s agencies, as well as the most senior Australian working at the base in court, it certainly seems to be a case that is taken very seriously by our Government.

Much of week one was taken up with legal argument about ‘Public Interest Immunity’ – which the prosecution won, and means that no information, bar that which is one the public record can be disclosed about the actual operations of Pine Gap. In week one the jury was also empanelled, and the prosecution began it’s case.

Week two the Prosecution continued it’s case, brining many witnesses who verified what was already agreed about the facts of the case. Week two was also punctuated by legal argument, this time about the nature of Parliamentary Privilege. The prosecution was also successful in wining it’s case that the Parliamentary Privilege Act means that nothing that has been said in Parliament or related committees (such as the Joint Committee on Treaties), can be used in court.

So the defence case opened with an inability to talk about actual operations of Pine Gap, nor what the Government has said. So they are relying on presenting information ‘that formed the basis of their beliefs about Pine Gap’ – which cannot be presented as objective fact.

Last Thursday and Friday all the defendants gave their opening statements, and Jim and Bryan presented evidence. Today Adele and Donna presented their evidence.

We then had another legal argument, what I call ‘defending the defences’. The crown have continually requested a ruling that the defences mentioned by the defendants should be disallowed by the Judge. Today the Judge ruled the defences inadmissible, which deals a serious blow to the case.

The four were then cross-examined. The Crown has indicated they will object to any witnesses that the defence were due to present. So tomorrow is likely to be final summations.

For more detailed updates please see www.pinegapontrial.blogspot.com or www.pinegap6.org