Today I opened another appeal from GetUp. This one to petition for the Federal Attorney General to cease prosecution of a former Australian Intelligence officer and his lawyer who have revealed that back in 2004 the Howard Government and Minister Downer bugged the offices of the East Timorese in order to gain advantage in negotiations over that country's assets on independence. Even more telling is the fact that Woodside Petroleum who gained significant commercial advantage subsequently repaid the favour to Mr Downer who was given a substantial employment post.
Here is the content of the GetUp appeal letter:

"Would you risk prison time for doing the right thing? The answer is, nobody should ever have to.

In 2004 the Howard Government illegally bugged the offices of the fledgling East Timorese government. Why? To swindle the impoverished nation out of its valuable natural resources during critical negotiations.

An Australian intelligence officer, known as 'Witness K' for legal reasons, refused to stay silent while our government broke its own laws.

Now, in a rank affront to our democratic ideals, Attorney General Christian Porter has authorised criminal prosecution of Witness K and their lawyer, former ACT Deputy Chief Minister Bernard Collaery.

Human rights and legal experts are lining up to condemn the move. But if we're to stop Witness K and Collaery spending time behind bars for exposing the crimes of our government, we need to demonstrate there is also massive public outrage with a huge petition.

[getup.org.au]

Professor David Dixon, former Dean of UNSW Law School, described Porter's decision to prosecute Witness K and their lawyer as a "crude act of political revenge against a whistleblower". And today, a former New South Wales Supreme Court Justice condemned the push to hold the trial in a closed courtroom saying "this is Australia … not Russia".

The scandal just gets worse the closer you look.

Australia's spying unquestionably skewed the deal against the impoverished people of East Timor. The then Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, went on to take a lucrative job at Woodside Petroleum – one of the biggest corporate beneficiaries of the deal.

Some resources have since been returned to East Timor, but only because of the international shaming and court case caused by the revelations of Witness K and their lawyer. Now unless we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them against their unjust prosecution, they face years in jail for standing up for what's right.

[getup.org.au]

Make no mistake, the prosecution of Witness K is about much more than revenge for a 15-year-old diplomatic humiliation. Porter's decision to authorise this prosecution is a cowardly act of intimidation against all future whistleblowers, and their lawyers, who would hold our government to account.

The Turnbull Government is testing the waters, to see if they can get away with using the Attorney General's powers to attack those who speak out against them.

If we let this this case go unchallenged, there is little doubt it will mean future whistleblowers dare not risk speaking out against government crimes and wrongdoing in the years to come.

Will you stand on the side of truth and accountability by signing the petition today?

In solidarity,

Paul – for the GetUp team

PS – The explosive revelations about Witness K came within 24 hours of the Turnbull Government – supported by Labor – ramming new police state laws through Parliament.

The hard new laws threaten journalists, whistleblowers and fellow activists with heavy prison sentences. Had they been in place when Witness K and Collaery revealed the truth, they'd both be facing seven years behind bars instead of two.

This is a defining moment in the fight to protect our civil liberties. We simply cannot afford to let the Government slam Witness K and Collaery behind bars as a warning to future dissenters. Will join sign the petition today? "

So it starts to unravel for less than honourable members of the Australian Liberal Party and generational stalwart Downer.
Please share and make known to your family, colleagues and workmates that like mulligrubbing these are the depths now stooped to by the Liberal party and its elite members and stand in solidarity against this by signing the petition if you are Australian. If non please bring it to your representatives notice to have the government held to account overseas.