Govt extends deadline for Haneef charges inquiry
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The Federal Attorney-General has agreed to extend the deadline for the Clarke Inquiry into the case of former Gold Coast-based doctor Mohamed Haneef.
After more than a year of investigations, Federal Police say the Indian doctor is no longer a person of interest.
Dr Haneef was charged with supporting a terrorism plot in the UK but the case against him later collapsed and an inquiry is examining the handling of the case.
The head of the inquiry, John Clarke QC, was initially going to report back to the Government by the end of September.
But he has been granted an extension until November 14.
Meanwhile Queensland Health Minister Stephen Robertson says Dr Haneef has been treated appallingly and an application to return to his old job would be considered.
Mr Robertson said the Health Department would consider Dr Haneef's application if he wanted to return to work in Queensland.
"Despite all of the hullabaloo that went on around the allegations and investigations that were underway, there was never any suggestion that he was anything other than a competent doctor," Mr Robertson said.
"So if there are no further inquiries by the Australian Federal Police, then from our perspective there are no outstanding issues."
