This was published 13 years ago

Beattie: Why the Special Branch was 'insidious'

Former premier Peter Beattie, who was monitored by the Queensland Police's Special Branch during his activist days in the 1970s, argues it had no place in a healthy democracy.

The Special Branch was a threat to personal freedoms and the right to free speech. It is a sad part of Queensland history.

The branch followed every peaceful protest taking photos and monitoring the activities of peaceful protesters.

Their monitoring exceeded the bounds of a healthy democracy.

---------------------------
Inside Queensland's spy unit
---------------------------

Their role was regarded by the government of the day as important but not by history. History will regard the Special Branch's role as insidious.

In light of the police corruption exposed by the Fitzgerald Inquiry, the resources spent on the special branch would have been better spent on an early version of the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

Like many politically active Queenslanders at the time, I would have loved to have seen the nonsense kept on my Special Branch file.

I am so pleased that this sad chapter in Queensland's history is now closed.

Ironically the politicisation of the police force by the Bjelke-Petersen government led to my arrest at the Springbok Tour protests and encouraged me into politics and in that sense I should be grateful to the police force of 1971.

Most Viewed in Politics