Discussion: What you need to know ahead of the 2014 G20 Summit

Scenes at marches over the last week paint a picture of what is to come. Photo: Courier Mail

It’s finally here: The week long schedule of collective events for the 2014 G20 Summit kicks off in Brisbane today, and it is imperative that everyone who lives or plans to be in Brisbane understands the new rules and regulations in effect – and what to expect during the duration of the summit.

In the following audio excerpt from Episode #06 of the Australian Roundtable Podcast, Ethan, John and Lindsay give an in-depth analysis of the G20 Summit in Brisbane and give a run-down on vital information that is relevant to all citizens who will be in the Security Zone.

Discussion includes: Basic facts, unfolding developments since the announcement, zone definitions, the G20 Safety and Security Bill 2013 (offences, police powers, prohibited items, arrest details), the G20 Peoples’ Summit and general expectations.

Note: Below this video you will find a basic outline of all information discussed.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

The G20 Summit is a meeting of the 20 largest economies in the world, and they come together once a year to discuss policies, economics, and a whole range of other geopolitcal issues.

It was announced almost two years ago that the G20 Summit was coming to Brisbane in 2014, with protesters and police having significant time to discuss matters and get an idea about what to expect.

However, most of the new information has only just recently come out in the past week or two, and this may lead to some not knowing their rights and restrictions.

The G20 (Safety and Security) Bill 2013 was initially introduced to set unprecedented police powers for Queensland Police within an exclusion zone that was quickly established.

It is understood that these are the following statistics in terms of security and costs:

Upwards of 7,000 security troops
4000 delegates
An ocean liner
12 sniper teams
5000 protesters expected
$370 million for the summit alone (although added cost make over $500 million)

ZONE DEFINITION:

A Declared Area is accessible by all members of the public except for Prohibited Persons and Excluded Persons. Certain conduct and items are prohibited in a Declared Area.

A Restricted Area is a closed-accessed Area marked by a cordon or barrier where the G20 delegates will be. Access is strictly limited to persons carrying the appropriate access pass. No assembly is allowed in this Area.

UNDER THE G20 LAWS, IT IS AN OFFENSE TO:

Disrupt, interfere with, delay or obstruct the conduct of any part of the G20 meeting or an activity associated with any part of the G20 meeting.
Interfere with the reasonable enjoyment of any part of the G20 meeting be inside a Restricted Area without an appropriate access pass
Possess a prohibited item in a Declared Area without reasonable excuse fail to comply with a police direction

POLICE SEARCH & QUESTIONING POWERS UNDER LAWS:

The Police have the power to search any:

Person in a Declared Area
Person attempting to enter, about to enter, or attempting to leave a Declared Area.

The Police have the power to conduct various types of searches, including searches:

Using X-ray scans, electronic scanning, or a walk through detector
Of any of a person’s belongings including a bag or mobile phone
Requiring the removal of outer clothing items such as headwear, jackets, or footwear, which may be searched requiring a person to empty their pockets.

A more invasive search may take place if the Police suspect:

A person is in possession of a prohibited item without lawful excuse
A person is prohibited or excluded from a Declared Area.

Searches are defined under the Bill: Basic search (Clause 20), Frisk search (Clause 21) and Specific search (Clause 23).

A specific search is a search of all clothing worn by a person, including a strip search of a person and/or a medical x-ray of the person.

The Police have the power to ask a person in a Declared Area:

for their name, address and date of birth
to produce ID,
and why they are in a Declared Area.

It is an offence to disobey, or not comply with, any of these requests by the Police.

PROHIBITED ITEMS IN THE SECURITY AREA:

Prohibited items are items that cannot be carried in a Security Area without lawful excuse.

A wide range of objects are deemed prohibited items. Some examples are (but not limited to):

Knives
Glass bottles/jars
Metal cans/tins
Eggs real and replica firearms and weapons
Graffiti instruments
Two-way radios/loud hailers
Air horns/marine warning devices
Any device emitting smoke
Laser pointers
Any objects capable of being used to construct a stage
Remote controlled devices
Kites
Balaclavas, face masks and face paints (other than religious items) which could conceal your identity
Fake security accreditation

You can only take a prohibited item into a security area with a lawful excuse. An example of a lawful excuse is a family using knives to consume food at a barbecue at South Bank Parklands.

AFTER ARREST:

Police Officers have the power to hold arrested individuals for the length of time “reasonably necessary” to:

Establish the person’s identity,
And to do one or more of the following:
– release without charge
– charge and release on bail, or detain the person in custody
– give the person an exclusion notice requiring them to leave the Declared
– Area and not return until the end of the G20

PEOPLES’ RESPONSE:

The Brisbane Community Action Network – G20 (BrisCAN–G20) has been formed as a response to the Brisbane G20 meeting, planned for Nov 15-16, 2014.

BrisCAN-G20 is network of groups and individuals concerned about the ongoing ecological destruction and social and economic and disparities perpetuated by G20 and the systems it represents.We live and take action on Aboriginal land and support First Nations’ struggles for land and culture.Bris-CAN facilitates vibrant community-based action for an ecologically and socially just world. We foster peaceful collaborations for progressive and positive change locally and globally in the lead up to the G20 and beyond.

The Peoples’ Summit will run from the 12th – 14th November, with numerous events around Brisbane, including a three-day festival of symposiums, idea-sharing, art, creative activities, education and action.

Topics include: The economy, growth vs sustainability, environment, climate and Earth rights, dispossession, decolonisation, politics, social justice, and much more.

This will be followed by two days of creative action, education and solidarity while the G20 Leaders’ Summit is taking place, including the Peoples Rally and March on November 15.

ALL EVENTS CAN BE FOUND HERE: http://briscan.net.au/program

OUR COVERAGE:

TOTT News will cover as much of the Peoples’ Convergence (3 day festivities) and March (on Saturday) as we are able to do so. This will include various multimedia content from a range of forums, discussions, citizens and much more, as our team will be spread out across the city covering everything as it happens.

Our articles will be divided into two major pieces that will update regularly with new content and updates:

You can find out more about our coverage here: http://tottnews.com/2014/11/10/tott-news-exclusive-coverage-of-the-g20-summit-in-brisbane-details/

Official link for G20 coverage: http://www.TOTTNEWS.com/tag/G20Coverage

G20 video playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIvfMSoqbuwdvq7MHwuAwS2NKfdP1T2uW

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