Media Alert: Activists in High Court bid

Three Darwin drug law-reform activists have lodged an appeal against their conviction in the "parliament invasion" case with the High Court of Australia.

Network Against Prohibition trio Gary Meyerhoff, Stuart Highway and Robert Inder-Smith were given jail terms by Magistrate Dick Wallace in May, 2003, but have been free on bail pending appeals in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

Justice David Angel dismissed their appeal against conviction last September and Chief Justice Brian Martin, and Justices Thomas and Mildren, rejected their Full Bench appeal earlier this year.

The "Napatistas" as they become known, have based their HC appeal on six points. Included is the claim that the Magistrate's Court had no jurisdiction to hear the case, and that Mr Wallace's bias against them was "overwhelming".

As well, they say the charge, of intentionally disturbing the NT Legislative Assembly while it was in session, is an infringement on free speech and access to government, "as implied in the Australian Constitution".

Appellant Gary Meyerhoff, who founded NAP in March, 2002, said: "We will argue that Section 61 of the NT Criminal Code, under which we were charged, is invalid.

"We believe that we should never have been convicted and that Justice Angel, as well as the Full Bench, erred in rejecting our appeals.

"We want the conviction quashed."

The three were among a group of nine people who walked into parliament on May 14, 2002, to protest the widely-discredited "Drug House" legislation being passed at the time.

They waved placards and argued with MPs before three, Meyerhoff, Inder-Smith and another protestor, Ema Birkeland Corro, climbed onto the speakers table.

They left five minutes later.

Next day's press labelled the incident an "invasion".

The ensuing magistrate's court hearing lasted two weeks and cost the NT tax-payer tens of thousands of dollars.

In what is believed to be a first, they represented themselves and successfully summonsed and cross-examined senior NT politicians including Chief Minister Clare Martin, Attorney-General Peter Toyne and Deputy Chief Minister Syd Stirling.

NAP is dedicated to promoting and protecting the health and human rights of illicit drug users as well as the rights of those in developing countries who rely on opium, coca and cannabis for their survival.

For more information, contact NAPNT on 0415 16 2525 (+61 415 16 2525 from overseas).