Choices. Jeff Edwards

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СКАЧАТЬ the commission was investigating the unauthorised use of the New South Wales Police Force’s computer system, and the relationship between certain employees of the force and members of the private investigation fraternity.

      Dan sat in the dock and watched anxiously as both the prosecutor and the judge shuffled through their papers. Get the fuck on with it! Dan’s mind screamed, as panic set in.

      Finally the prosecutor began.

      ‘Your name is Daniel Travers and you are employed by the New South Wales Police Force as a group supervisor in the communications branch. Is that correct?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Louder,’ ordered the judge.

      ‘Your evidence is being taped,’ growled the prosecutor sharply, knowing full well that the witness would feel cowered by the twin attack, and therefore more likely to give truthful answers.

      ‘Yes,’ called Dan.

      ‘Not that loud,’ snapped the judge. ‘There’s no need to shout. We’re not deaf.’

      Fuck you! thought Dan, who after sitting around and watching these two smug officials treating those who appeared in the dock as though they were less than human, reached a hasty decision and decided that enough was enough. They were out to destroy him anyway, so what was the point in making their job any easier. He was now determined to do something, even if the effect of it was only to delay the inevitable.

      The prosecutor wandered over to stand in front of Dan, a piece of paper in his hand which he casually consulted. ‘What do you know about a company by the name of Trusty Investigations and its proprietor, a Mr Liam Ryan?’

      Dan sat in stony silence, collecting his thoughts, picking his next words carefully. Do I have the guts to go through with this? he asked himself. Do I answer his questions or not?

      The judge looked down his nose at Dan, and snapped at him. ‘Answer the question Mr Travers we haven’t got all day! Do you know Ryan and his company?’ he demanded.

      Before he could change his mind Dan blurted out, ‘I’m not permitted to answer that question.’

      The judge’s mouth dropped open slightly at the unexpected reply. The man had heard all manner of evasions in the past but this was a new one. Ordinarily, he would have left the questioning up to the prosecutor at this stage, but he took Dan’s strange reply as a personal affront to his court, and that was not to be permitted.

      ‘Did I hear you correctly Mr Travers?’ he asked sharply. ‘Did you just say that you are not permitted to answer the prosecutor’s question?’

      ‘That’s correct.’

      ‘Oh, and exactly who is it who is denying you the right to answer the commission’s questions?’

      Oh shit, here we go, Dan thought to himself, as he still wondered if he had the courage to continue.

      ‘Well Mr Travers?’ demanded the judge.

      Dan swallowed. ‘I am unable to answer your questions due to the provisions of the Commonwealth Official Secrets Act.’

      The prosecutor had heard a plethora of excuses from people attempting to thwart the commission’s enquiries but this was definitely a first. ‘Are you telling me that by answering the commission’s questions you will be compromising national security?’

      Dan knew he had crossed the line of no return. The choice had been made and from here there was no turning back. He had to continue. ‘I cannot respond to that question,’ he said to the prosecutor.

      ‘What can you say Mr Travers?’ demanded the judge brusquely.

      ‘Nothing sir. Under the act I am not permitted to say anything regarding the matter currently before the commission.’

      The judge had had enough. ‘Mr Travers, I am ordering that you answer the questions put to you by this commission, and I will warn you that failure to do so will place you in contempt of the commission and therefore liable to such sanctions as described in the act under which this commission was formed.’

      Dan shrugged and tried to calm his racing heart. ‘I cannot answer your questions, and must rely on your judgment as to whether the commission chooses to impose its sanctions.’

      ‘I am ordering you to reply.’

      ‘Under the Official Secrets Act I cannot,’ Dan replied unsteadily. ‘I would also add that this commission was formed by the state of New South Wales whereas the Official Secrets Act is a federal act and I believe it has pre-eminence over state matters.’

      The judge exchanged a glance with the prosecutor. ‘I’m going to call a brief recess. You may step down Mr Travers but I will want to proceed with your questioning the moment I return. Do not leave the building.’

      ‘All rise,’ called the clerk, as the judge left his bench and made his way from the court.

      * * *

      The prosecutor and an assistant made their way to the judge’s chambers where they were ushered into his presence.

      ‘What do you make of this?’ the judge asked.

      ‘It’s all bullshit. He’s trying to avoid the inevitable.’

      ‘Is there anything in his records that might give us a clue?’

      ‘Nothing recent, but prior to joining the police force as a civilian clerk he did serve in the army.’

      ‘Not army intelligence I suppose!’

      ‘No Your Honour. According to his file Travers was in the signals corps. That was probably when he signed the Official Secrets Act.’

      ‘So there’s no provable link between this man and anything that might be of significance to the nation’s security?’

      ‘Well, he was stationed in Canberra, and he did serve overseas in both Iraq and Afghanistan, but that’s about all we know about him. If we want anymore information we’re going to have to dig a lot deeper than we did the first time. We’ll have to see if ASIO has anything on him and hope they’d be willing to share their information with us.’

      ‘Will they help us?’

      ‘If they have nothing on him I’m sure they’ll say so, but I’m afraid that if he is involved in the intelligence community they’ll probably refuse to assist us and deny that they have anything of significance.’

      ‘So if we make a request for information, a denial from ASIO could mean either yes or no.’

      ‘I’m afraid so.’

      ‘What do you suggest?’

      ‘I think we should put him back in the dock and see if he’ll come to his senses. In the meantime we place a request for further information with anyone he may have come in contact with, like army intelligence, ASIO, police intelligence and the federal police intelligence unit. In the meantime I’ll make sure СКАЧАТЬ