No justice for Panther: Brennan 
By MEGAN SAUNDERS 

July 11: The Chief Justice of Australia, Sir Gerard Brennan, said 
yesterday jailed former terrorist Lorenzo Ervin did not appear to 
have been accorded natural justice.

Before adjourning a High Court hearing on whether Mr Ervin should 
be freed from prison where he has spent three nights, Justice 
Brennan told the Federal Government's lawyers natural justice was 
central to Mr Ervin's extradition case.

"There is an obligation to accord natural justice which has not 
been observed," Sir Gerard said before adjourning the hearing until 
this morning.

The High Court is expected to decide today whether Acting Immigration 
Minister Amanda Vanstone acted legally in revoking the visa of the 
former Black Panther and convicted hijacker.

Sir Gerard said it was of "considerable importance" that Bob 
Gotterson QC, for the Federal Government, explain today how the rules 
of natural justice applied in the case which has created 
international reaction.

Tensions reached boiling point outside the Commonwealth courts 
yesterday with protesters threatening to storm the building.

Overseas, international protest groups extended their campaign to 
include South Africa, Greece, Italy and Sweden where groups will sign 
petitions and picket Australian embassies and consulates.

They will join other human rights groups already campaigning in the UK, 
Ireland, New Zealand and the US against the Government's decision to 
jail Mr Ervin and revoke his tourist visa on the grounds that he was 
not of good character.

The matter went straight to the High Court yesterday after Mr Ervin's 
legal team argued they had effectively been barred from lower tribunals.

And the Government was forced to withdraw a claim that the case fell 
outside the jurisdiction of the High Court after Sir Gerard told Mr 
Gotterson that it was of "the greatest constitutional importance" that 
the court had authority to review unlawful government decisions.

"It is a proposal which I regard as completely inconsistent with 
judicial review because it would isolate the executive from acts done 
which are unlawful and that would not be contributable to the 
constitution or the Parliament," Justice Brennan said.

Mr Ervin's legal team argued that Senator Vanstone had acted unlawfully 
by cancelling Mr Ervin's tourist visa and denying him a temporary visa 
while the Federal Court reviewed the decision.

Counsel for Mr Ervin, James Douglas QC, argued that Senator Vanstone 
had breached the rules of natural justice by failing to take into 
account his good conduct and character since being convicted and not 
giving him an opportunity to respond to ministerial concerns.

Mr Gotterson was granted an overnight adjournment to compile the 
Government's defence on the issue after he said he had been given 
last-minute notice of the hearing.

Mr Ervin released a statement from custody yesterday saying he was 
being treated "worse than I was in the American prison system" and 
vowing to let the world know.  "I can easily see why so many Australian 
black prisoners have committed suicide, they have been driven to it by 
the Australian police State," he said.