Symposium on terrorism laws being held in Byron Bay on Sunday night

Controversial anti-terrorism laws will be discussed by three international experts at a free public seminar this Sunday evening, December 14, as part of the Southern Cross University Byron Bay Summer Law School.

About 100 students from almost every law school in Australia will attend the seminar as part of summer law school, put on by SCU's School of Law and Justice from December 6 to 19.

The speakers at the Terrorism Seminar include:
Justice John Dowd, AO, of the Supreme Court of NSW, and Chancellor of Southern Cross University. Justice Dowd was one of the few high-profile people to speak out publicly against the Howard Government's anti-terrorism ASIO laws when they were first introduced last year. He was supported by the SCU Law School in a Letter to the Editor published in the regional press on 28 November, 2002. Justice Dowd is a Commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists, based in Switzerland, and President of the Australian Section. His legal-political career includes four years as Attorney-General in the NSW State Government under Nick Greiner, and NSW Opposition Leader in the '80s.


Professor Michael J Bazyler, Professor of Law at Whittier Law School, California, is an international human rights scholar and litigator.He will focus on the new legal regime created in the US in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, including the USA Patriot Act. Professor Bazyler is co-founder of the Amnesty International USA Legal Support Network, chair of REDRESS-USA, seeking redress for victims of torture,and the author of more than 59 articles in the area of human rights law. Professor Bazyler is also a research fellow at the Holocaust Education Trust in London, and for 2003, fellowship holder at the Centre for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, in Washington, DC. He is teaching a Holocaust and the Law unit as part of the Byron Bay Summer Law School.

Associate Professor Sam Garkawe, a lecturer in SCU's School of Law and Justice, will speak about the Australian laws in the context of international law and human rights, and will chair the meeting. Professor Garkawe teaches human rights, international law, restorative justice, international criminal justice and victimology. He is a founding editor of the Australian Journal of Human Rights.

"In the current environment where terrorism legislation, and the effect of terrorism on international law, is at the forefront of the political agenda, the Law School is pleased to present these distinguished and experienced speakers and allow the public to participate in the ongoing debate," head of SCU's School of Law and Justice, Richard Harris said.

The Terrorism Seminar will be held on Sunday, 14 December, from 7pm to 9pm, at the Lord Byron Beach Resort in Byron Bay. The symposium is open to the public and entry is free.

Media contact: Brigid Veale, SCU Media Liaison, Ph: 6659 3006 or M: 0439 680 748.