The presumption of innocence and the trouble with terrorism

David Barnett, Canberra Times, Aug 2007

... the presumption of innocence is not a workable principle in the circumstance in which terrorism has now faced the civilised world. Are they saying we must wait until the terrorists repeat in Australia their daily exploits in Iraq, their spectacular exploits in New York, in Bali, in London, and indeed, all around the world? And should our police then trawl around seeking the associates of those who blew themselves up so that dozens, or hundreds, or thousands, of innocent people might die. What nonsense.