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<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN>I thought members might find this
of interest.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN>Chris</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=+0><B><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=6><SPAN lang=EN>Uni lets
police see personal records </SPAN></FONT></B></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>Edmund
Tadros<BR>July 11, 2007 </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
lang=EN></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Arial
size=2><SPAN><SPAN>Sydney Morning Herald</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>THE
University of Technology, Sydney, has given police access to student and staff
information during the past two years without the knowledge or consent of those
involved. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>On 22
occasions since 2005 it has given information to the Australian Federal Police,
the NSW Police Force and the Australian Tax Office. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The
intelligence requested has included confidential personal details, course
details, class attendance records, computer usage details and photo
identification. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The requests
are legal under exemptions in the Privacy and Personal Information Protection
Act 1998 but go against its spirit, a civil liberties group has said. They said
law enforcement authorities should be forced to supply a subpoena or warrant
before information is provided. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The
university has denied any wrongdoing but could not confirm if subpoenas or
warrants were used in every request. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The student
association at UTS said it was part of a wider trend of police targeting student
activists before the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Sydney in
September. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The
information, including a table of the 22 requests and an explanation of the
reason, was released to the <I><SPAN>Herald</SPAN></I> under freedom of
information laws. In the majority of cases the reason cited was "criminal
investigation".</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The
revelation has fuelled the fear of student associations which claim that police
are targeting activists and obtaining information about them with the help of
universities. The Australian Federal Police and the NSW Police Force were unable
to provide additional information about the nature of the requests their
officers made. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The details
have come to light after the <I><SPAN>Herald</SPAN></I> revealed last month that
the NSW Police Force approached a student activist to spy for them in the
lead-up to APEC. There have also been reports of increased police presence on
campuses and allegations that ASIO is spying on student activists.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>A UTS
spokesman said the university acted within the law to provide the information.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>"Whether it
was by subpoena, warrant or other form of request for information, in all cases
UTS was confident that the requests accorded with exemptions provided by the
Act," he said. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The release
of the information without subpoenas or warrants was legal but inappropriate,
said the vice-president of the NSW Council of Civil Liberties, David Bernie. "We
don't think they should be giving out that information," he said.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>Mr Bernie
said if a warrant was obtained then the person involved was not told as a matter
of procedure. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>The President
of UTS Students' Association, Darren Loasby, is also concerned. "I think it's
unsurprising that they are seeking this information and it's unsurprising that
UTS is giving it to them," Mr Loasby said. "It's part of a broader trend of
police targeting activists and students. It's a crackdown on dissent from this
Government - speaking out against the Government has become increasingly
unpopular and is not tolerated." </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>He said that
UTS had a duty to inform students if their information was given out.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>A NSW Police
spokesman said without specific details it was difficult to comment.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN>But he said
"it would not be unusual for police to contact a school or university to seek
their assistance with their inquiries". </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=+0><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN lang=EN><A
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