Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Justice, in writing, on 21 March 2011:

(1) When he decided on 12 November 2009 to approve the extradition of Australian citizen Mr Charles Zentai to the Republic of Hungary, was he aware of the following information that had been provided to his department and office, that the: (a) Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) had advised the Australian Federal police (AFP) that there was no evidence to support a charge against Mr Zentai of a war crime (or any other crime); (b) CDPP and the AFP had decided not to prosecute Mr Zentai for the alleged war crime, although if there had been sufficient evidence to support a charge, it would have been open to the Australian authorities to charge Mr Zentai and have him tried in Australia, rather than extradite him; and (c) Republic of Hungary only wanted Mr Zentai to be extradited for questioning, as no charge has been laid against him.

(2) If so, did he consider this information before approving Mr Zentai’s extradition to Hungary, and what were his reasons for making the determination.

(3) If not, was he made aware of this information after the Hon. Justice Neil McKerracher set aside, in December 2010, the Minister’s determination to extradite Mr Zentai to Hungary, and why did the Minister then authorise an appeal against Justice McKerracher’s decision?

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