Royal Commission of Inquiry into Alleged Telephone Interceptions
Stewart Royal Commission into telephone interceptions · Age tapes Royal Commission · Royal Commission of inquiry into alleged telephone interceptions
29 March 1985 – 1 May 1986
Royal commission by Justice Donald Stewart, held jointly with New South Wales and Victoria, into illegal telephone interceptions disclosed by the "Age tapes", transcripts of New South Wales police phone taps published by The Age in 1984.
How it came into existence
Constituted by Letters Patent of 29 March 1985, issued by Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen on the advice of the Hawke government, which varied Justice Donald Stewart’s 1981 drug trafficking Letters Patent so that he would inquire whether material from unlawful interceptions in New South Wales disclosed Commonwealth offences warranting investigation, and recommend indemnities for people who gave evidence about the interceptions. New South Wales and, in June 1985, Victoria issued parallel commissions.
Legislation: Royal Commissions Act 1902
Changes during its life
- 19 December 1985Reporting date extended from 31 December 1985 to 30 April 1986.
How it ended
Reported in April 1986 (exact date not found). It found that the Age tapes, although unreliable as to their content, were genuine products of illegal interceptions, and that illegal telephone interception had been carried out on a large scale. The Parliamentary Handbook gives 1 May 1986 as the date the final report was presented.
Main functions
- Inquiry into illegal telephone interceptions in New South Wales
- Assessment of offences disclosed by intercepted material
- Recommendations on indemnities and on interception law
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Sources
Primary sources
Government records and websites
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.