The secrecy restrictions around Bernard Collaery’s prosecution were so severe that he was forced to obtain government approval for his lawyer to view evidence against him, communicate with his legal team in-person in secure rooms chosen by the commonwealth, physically transport documents around the country at exorbitant cost and compose drafts on commonwealth laptop computers at pre-approved locations.
The national security law watchdog is currently investigating the operation and effectiveness of the National Security Information Act 2004 (NSI Act), which the federal government uses to protect sensitive information during court proceedings.
