Throughout his career as attorney, advocate and politician (including ACT Attorney General), Bernard Collaery has been a fearless advocate for human rights on many fronts.

Bernard is well known for his advocacy work on behalf of Timor-Leste and currently acts for a former ASIS officer (‘witness K’) who claimed Australia unlawfully bugged the Timor-Leste Cabinet during negotiations on oil and gas treaty rights in 2004. Witness K’s home was raided, his passport removed and he was threatened with a criminal charge.

“Professional public servants who are prepared to take a stand and speak truth to power are every bit as crucial to a healthy democracy as an independent media and judiciary. Such people are often left with an unbearable personal cost and increasingly risk serious criminal charges. It is beyond time we gave them the protection they need and deserve.’’ (Bernard Collaery)

Bernard can speak with experience and authority on Australia’s legislative trend towards silencing whistleblowers and journalists and on what we can do to protect positive civil rights and hold governments properly accountable.