Correction
to media reports (3/07/06) regarding the Falun Gong action against certificates
issued by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer:
PRESS STATEMENT (4/07/06):
The reports by ABC and SBS (3/07/06) regarding the Falun Gong action
against certificates issued by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer were an inaccurate
representation of what occurred in the Supreme Court of the ACT yesterday.
At
a directions hearing for the case yesterday (3/07/06), a representative of the
law office representing the plaintiffs advised the court that the case would not
be discontinued and sought leave from the court for a three-week extension which
was granted.
Mr Downer stopped issuing certificates against the Falun Gong
appeal in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canberra in March this year and offered
to settle the case and pay the plaintiffs’ costs. The plaintiffs do not agree
to settle as the key elements of the case have not been met.
The plaintiffs
are seeking a declaration in which the first and subsequent certificates issued
by Mr Downer are void and invalid. The plaintiffs seek a settlement which they
find to be satisfactory or a legal ruling by the court.
Background information:
The
case against Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was filed on 9 June 2005 in the
Supreme Court of the ACT after three years of requests for a dialogue with Mr
Downer were ignored.
The action sought an injunction to restrain Mr Downer
from relying upon certificates he issued pursuant to the Diplomatic Privileges
and Immunity Regulations 1992 that prevent the display of banners and the use
of amplified music outside the Chinese Embassy in Canberra. The certificates stated
that the protest "impaired the dignity of the mission".
Mr Downer
has deceived many people through his assertions about the appeal at the Embassy
and has repeatedly made false accusations to media and fellow members of parliament
regarding the protest, such as:
"loudspeakers blaring loud slogans
and music into the Chinese embassy through the day and the night… a permanent
demonstration there … keeping the ambassador and the staff awake at night and
with offensive slogans, or what we would interpret as offensive slogans…"
Posting
date: 5/July/2006
Original article date: 4/July/2006
Category: Media Release