Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion, directing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship to seek a report from the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security on the circumstances surrounding the detention of the convicted Egyptian jihadist terrorist.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Denison moving the following motion forthwith:

That the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security be directed by the Minister to report by 20 June 2013 on the following:

(1) to establish all facts in relation to allegations that a convicted Egyptian jihadist terrorist was in a detention centre in full knowledge of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, without passing this information to the Minister; and

(2) whether processes and/or resources need to change to address any issues raised, and if so, in detail, to recommend where.

I will just speak briefly to this effort to suspend standing orders and to bring this motion on. I think everyone in this House would agree that the possibility that a convicted Egyptian jihadist terrorist was improperly processed and/or improperly held in detention is a cause for very serious concern. I would hope that every person in this place would agree that it is important that someone or some body get to the bottom of it, ensure that any errors are corrected and that this sort of thing does not happen again. That would certainly be in line with the public's expectations.

I note that the Prime Minister has announced today that the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security will look into these matters. I have the utmost respect for the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and I do not doubt that officer's competency and independence, but I really think this is a matter for the parliament to consider. We have in the parliament a very capable and well-regarded body to look into these matters—that is, the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security. The PJCIS is a highly regarded body; it is populated with well-regarded members of the parliament and with, I think I can say with some confidence, members of parliament who have a high standing in the community—with the possible exception of me. Crucially, it is a competent organisation and well regarded and familiar with security matters. It is the one parliamentary committee which has the competency and the skills and familiarity with the intelligence community, and which could ramp up and undertake an inquiry very quickly. Crucially, the PJCIS also has a track record of working cooperatively—of achieving consensus wherever consensus can possibly be found and making recommendations that would have the support of the whole parliament and, I think, the confidence of the whole community.

I ask the parliament to support my attempt to suspend standing orders and to bring this motion on for a decision.

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