Kevin Andrews needs to reinstate Haneef's visa, and publicly apologise to him for politicising his situation. It is clear to any reasonable person that Mr Andrews preemptive move to cancel the man's visa was ill-informed, showed contempt for rule law and demonstrates how fragile our rights and democracy can get when Ministers have totalitarian powers.

And to make matters worse, he now wants to release the information he used to make his decision. Information which is most likely invalid, incorrect and slanderous towards Mr Haneef, given that Mr Haneef has been cleared and this information was collated at the height of the witch hunt.

Kevin Andrews, resign, and give Australia some of its dignity back!

 This morning I swear I heard Kevin Andrews (on ABC radio news) say he wanted to release the advice on which he had acted (in the Haneef case) - from the Solicitor-General. He added that he could not release that advice yet, because "it had not been written yet".

Was I dreaming? No, I am sure I was not.

 Also, the "Investigator" who died during interrogation of Dr Haneef was "not an AFP officer".

"The man was not a police officer but an investigative assistant, an unsworn employee of the AFP, a spokesman said later."

Sounds eerily "spooky" to me, and further points the finger at the involvement of certain un-nameable employees of Mr Ruddock's various "agencies".  So much for this being handled professionally by the AFP.

The whole deal was a sham, and a scam, and terribly politically tainted from the start. 

Denis Wilson

Yes Nigel ... Andrews should resign ... along with Ruddock & the inept Keelty.

But, of course, none of them will.

Their sense of self-righteous self-importance far outweighs their miniscule sense of responsibility & decency.

As for our country's dignity, well, until enough Australians begin to care about our reputation in the eyes of the world, it's simply not an issue.

What is an issue of course is the fact that we have become dependant over the last 15 years on foreign Doctors & Nurses & given the treatment that's been meted-out on Haneef, we just might find that we'll now struggle to attract them down-under, all because we have a corrupt & arrogant government.

There might be some poetic justice after all? 

Perhaps signing this petition may make us feel better... Hopefully it'll give Rudd the backbone to stand up for something too! 

‘The establishment of the Clarke Inquiry is an important step in ensuring public confidence in Australia’s counter-terrorism measures, and delivers on the Government’s election commitment to establish an independent judicial inquiry into the handling of the Haneef case. 

The Clarke Inquiry will enable interested parties to have their say, establish the facts of the case and make appropriate recommendations to ensure Australia’s security agencies are functioning as best as they possibly can – individually and collectively.’ 

The Hon Robert McClelland MP

Attorney-General 

March 13, 2008 

fast forward to the real world ….. 

Australia Federal Police Commisioner Mick Keelty and former Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews are expected to escape a public grilling at the inquiry into the bungled prosecution of Gold Coast doctor Mohamed Haneef. 

Before the Rudd government-ordered inquiry has its preliminary opening in Canberra next week, it has emerged that the key players in the investigation and detention of Dr Haneef are likely to give evidence in interviews to inquiry head John Clarke QC, rather than at public hearings.

The move will prevent lawyers for Dr Haneef from cross-examining those giving evidence to Mr Clarke about the arrest, prosecution and detention of the Indian-born doctor, who has since returned home.  

Dr Haneef, his lawyers and other legal observers have unsuccessfully called on federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland to grant commission-of-inquiry powers to Mr Clarke, to ensure documents are released and witnesses are compelled to give evidence and face cross-examination.

Probe To Hobble Haneef Team

Former immigration minister Kevin Andrews says he is confident Mohamed Haneef would not have succeeded in suing him for defamation.

The Federal Government has settled a compensation claim from the Indian-born doctor over his wrongful detention on terrorism-related charges in 2007.

In return the former Gold Coast Hospital registrar has dropped his defamation action against Mr Andrews and his civil claim against the Commonwealth.

This morning Dr Haneef's lawyer, Rod Hodgson, declined to comment on Indian media reports that the settlement was about $1 million.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/22/3099111.htm?section=justin

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