Labor shelves election promise for inquiry into prosecution of Witness K and Bernard Collaery

Plans for investigation into Timor bugging scandal have failed to transpire more than 18 months after government was elected

Labor has quietly shelved its pre-election promise to hold an inquiry into the controversial 2004 Timor-Leste bugging scandal and the former Coalition government’s pursuit of ex-spy Witness K and his lawyer, Bernard Collaery.

It comes as newly released documents reveal the lengths the Albanese and former Morrison governments went to keep “national security” information in the case from being released to the public. That material was ultimately deemed low risk by the ACT court of appeal.

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