Voting challenge to go to High Court

Adelaide man Anders Holmdahl is challenging compulsory voting. Source: adelaidenow

VOLUNTARY voting advocates have been granted a Full Court of the High Court hearing in seven days time.

The move is unusual because the High Court has bypassed an application for special leave to appeal in favour of a full court hearing, which is done only for cases of special importance or constitutional significance.

South Australian man Anders Holmdahl failed last June in a Supreme Court bid to overturn an Australian Electoral Commission fine for not voting in the 2010 federal election.

Acting for Mr Holmdahl, Kevin Borick, said "I think it means they consider the case important and we have a chance".

Mr Borick said lawyers would argue that the Australian constitution gives electors the right to make their choice fully, unforced and freely.

The Australian Electoral Commission and The Attorney-General for the State of South Australia versus Anders Holmdahl will be heard at on 12 April 2013 in Canberra with a video link to the Angas Street offices of the court from 9am Adelaide time.

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Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Man faces court after shots fired

A MAN will appear in court today after a domestic dispute at Salisbury Heights last night where two shots were fired and two people were assaulted.

Police were called to Dwyer Ct, about 8.45pm, after a man entered a house and allegedly fired two shots from a shotgun.

The occupants - a man and a woman - were not struck, but the intruder, who was known to the couple, assaulted both before running from the scene, police said.

The offender then ran to the intersection of Main North Rd and Blacktop Rd at Hillbank, where he allegedly carjacked a motorist.

Spike in illegal gun use in SA

He drove to Craigmore where police were able to arrest him after a short search.

The Riverland man, 41, was charged with several offences including aggravated serious criminal trespass, aggravated assault causing harm, two counts of acts to endanger life, possessing an unregistered firearm, being unlicensed to possess a firearm and aggravated robbery.

He was taken to the Lyell McEwin Hospital with minor injuries after being bitten by the police dog.

The man was refused bail and will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court.

Police said further charges could be laid.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Youth worker in court over abuse

A YOUTH worker under Education Department contract has faced court accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.

The man, 37, appeared in the Victor Harbor Magistrates Court this morning.

He is one of six people employed in South Australian schools charged with sex abuse allegations in the growing scandal that has engulfed the State Government.

In January, police charged the man with three aggravated counts of indecent assault and 10 counts of being a person in authority who had sex with a person under the age of 18.

Those offences allegedly occurred at Mount Compass between October and December last year.

The alleged victim is a girl aged 16.

In February, Education Minister Jennifer Rankine said she had only been made aware of the alleged crimes 10 days before she spoke publicly about the incident.

It subsequently emerged that police were alerted to the man by the mother of another child in his care.

That mother claimed the man had "demonstrated behaviour" that raised her suspicions but she was "fobbed off" by the Department.

Today, the man was remanded on continuing bail to face court in Adelaide next month.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here