From the Jewish News:
Zentai’s fate in the hands of the minister
NAOMI LEVINAFTER years of court battles, the decision over whether to extradite Charles Zentai to Hungary to face war crimes charges will be made by one man — Federal Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus.
Luckily for the Jewish community, Debus has an exemplary record in pursuing justice.
Debus, who is 64, is well known to residents of New South Wales as a former long-time state MP. He has held a number of state portfolios, including seven years as NSW attorney-general.
He is less known nationally, after being elected to Federal Parliament only last year, but his state-level experience led to his immediate front bench appointment as minister for home affairs.
According to Robert Goot and Peter Wertheim, members of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Debus is well regarded within the Jewish community.
Most recently, he was instrumental in assisting the quick passage of legislation that made Jewish security expenses tax deductible.
Wertheim, the former president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, who worked closely with Debus when he was NSW attorney-general, said “unlike many other politicians, Bob is an independent thinker and does not fit neatly into any ideological pigeon-hole”.
He spoke of a man who worked hard, even when it was not politically popular, to help eliminate racial vilification.
“I remember being called to Bob’s office to discuss an anti-Semitic publication that had come to his notice,” Wertheim said. “He was genuinely outraged by it and sought advice about prosecuting the publisher.”
Debus was informed that criminal prosecution was not an option, so he set about appointing a committee, eventually chaired by Wertheim, to consider amending the NSW anti-vilification laws.
“The working party made certain recommendations, which Bob fully supported, even though he knew they would not be politically popular and they were, in fact, blocked by senior bureaucrats,” Wertheim said.
“It was one of the few occasions Bob did not get his way. But there was no doubt where his sympathies lay.”
Last month Magistrate Barbara Lane ruled that Zentai -– who is being pursued by the Hungarian government for allegedly murdering a Hungarian Jewish teenager during the Holocaust – had satisfied administrative requirements for extradition.
According to the bilateral extradition treaty signed by Australia and Hungary in 1997, a number of criteria must be fulfilled.
The alleged crime must be punishable by more than one year in prison, and it must be an offence under the laws of both countries. The charges must not be politically motivated.
Following Lane’s decision, and pending Zentai’s appeal, it will be up to Debus to ensure the judicial requirements for extradition have been fulfilled.
According to the Attorney-General’s Department, the minister has to be assured that the accused will not face torture following extradition and that the alleged crime is not punishable by death.
Finally, the minister can use his own discretion in making the final decision and this may include the consideration of any humanitarian aspects.
