063247
MDLIAN 4043
(C) COUNTER-TERRORISM (CT): AT THE POL/MIL TALKS IN NOVEMBER 1988 WE PROPOSED GREATER COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTIRES. THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE PROGRESS BUT A UK TEAM IS DUE IN CANBERRA IN MAY TO OBSERVE AN AUSTRALIAN CT EXERCISE AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS. IF WE CONSIDER THERE IS VALUE IN EVEN GREATER COOPERATION ON CT MATTERS, THE HOME SECRETARY' VISIT OFFERS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THIS FORWARD.
(D) PROTECTION OF WITNESSES: THERE IS ALREADY AN ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE VICTORIAN POLICE AND SCOTLAND YARD FOR ESTABLISHING NEW IDENTITIES AND LIVES IN EACH OTHERS' COUNTRIES FOR QUOTE SUPER GRASSES UNQUOTE. IF IT IS DESIRABLE TO EXTEND OR FORMALISE THIS ARRANGEMENT, THE VISIT PROVIDES A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, BOTH IN MELBOURNE AND PERHAPS ELSEWHERE.
(E) PRIVATISATION OF PRISONS. THERE ARE ALREADY CONTACTS AT OFFICIAL LEVEL BETWEEN THE HOME OFFICE AND THE GOVERNMENTS OF QUEENSLAND (WHERE A PRIVATE PRISON IS ALREADY FUNCTIONING) AND NEW SOUTH WALES (WHERE THE IDEA IS RECEIVING SERIOUS CONSIDERATION).
(F) IMMIGRATION: PASSPORTS FOR HONG KONGERS. MUCH WILL DEPEND ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BUT THE AUSTRALIANS' RECENT PREDICTION THAT 20,000 HONG KONGERS WOULD MIGRATE TO AUSTRALIA (WHETHER TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY) BY 1997 IS OF CONCERN. WE SHALL NEED TO CONSIDER NEARER THE TIME WHETHER THE HOME SECRETARY SHOULD RAISE THIS MATTER.
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3 I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE HOME SECRETARY CONCERNS HIMSELF WITH PROMOTING THE EXPORT OF EQUIPMENT FOR USE BY POLICE AND SECURITY FORCES ABROAD. IF SO, WE COULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF THIS IN HIS PROGRAMME. IT IS AN AREA OF POSSIBLE TRADE EXPANSION HERE.
4. HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS CAN DOUBTLESS EXTEND THIS LIST, AND I HOPE YOU WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO SO, I HOPE WE CAN AIM AT A VISIT, RATHER LIKE THAT OF MR BAKER'S LAST YEAR, WHICH RESULTS IN FIRM AGREEMENT ON NEW AREAS OF COOPERATION. BUT THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE WITH SOME MONTHS OF PREPARATION.
5. I WOULD ENVISAGE MEDIA INTERVIEWS AND WORKING MEALS IN SYDNEY, MELBOURNE AND PERHAPS CANBERRA BUT IT IS TOO EARLY TO WRITE THEM INTO A PROGRAMME. WE COULD PROBABLY ARRANGE A PLATFORM FOR A MAJOR SPEECH IN EITHER SYDNEY OR MELBOURNE IN ADDITION TO THE ONE IN CANBERRA IN M.I.F.T. WOULD THE HOME
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CONFIDENTIAL