Final Cause

Synopsis of FINAL CAUSE By Pete Hancock FINAL CAUSE is a contemporary fiction-thriller based in Australia. It exposes the real risks to national security associated with the engagement of computing consultants to develop new, high-tech ’in-house’ computing applications for government. The story revolves around the operation of a system portal called ’the Rat-Trap’ designed to allow external and illegal access to the Australian Border Control database. The portal was developed by an IT contractor engaged by DIAC (Department of Immigration and Citizenship) and was being used by a Pakistani associate to modify ’watch-list’ flags for people who wanted to get past Border Control and into Australia. When the security services discovered it, there followed a chain of events ending in several horrific killings, cover-ups, execution and rendition by foreign nationals. FINAL CAUSE is entirely feasible, and in a period of global complexity in dealing humanely and responsibly with people from war-torn countries claiming to be political refugees, unquestionably relevant. July 2013