Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee's advisory report on the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

by leave—I am pleased to present the committee's report into the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014.

The b ill, as outlined by the Attorney-General in his second reading speech, is intended to ' enhance the capability of Australia's law enforcement, intelligence and border protection agencies to protect Australian communities from the threat posed by returning foreign fighters and those individuals within Austral ia supporting foreign conflicts' .

In conducting its inquiry, the committee acknowledged that the b ill responds specifically to a request from security and law enforcement agencies for enhanced powers to deal with this threat. This was highlighted by the age ncies in their evidence to the committee, and in this context the committee has ful ly supported the intent of the b ill.

Th e short timeframe for the c ommittee's inquiry was due to the direct relevance of the b ill to keeping the community safe from an increased threat of terrorism. Notwi thstanding this time frame, the c ommittee received a significant number of submissions and conducted both public and private hearings.

The c ommittee has made 37 recommendations. A majority of the recommendations are intended to further st rengthen the provisions of the b ill , including its safeguards and transparency and oversight mechanisms. Other recommendations have called for more detailed explanation of specific amendments in order to assist debate of the b ill.

The recommendations include:

Additionally, the c om mittee has recommended that its own oversight functions be expanded to include the Australian Federal Police's counter-terrorism activities.

The c ommittee has also reiterated its previous recommendation that the position of Independent National Security Legislation Monitor be filled as soon as practicable.

I should highlight, however, that both the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and the Commonwealth Ombudsman appeared before the c ommittee and gave evidence that they have sufficient authority to o versight the new powers in the b ill.

Following consideration of its recommendation s, the c ommittee has recommended that the bill be passed by the p arliament.

I w ish to thank all members of the c ommittee for their cooperative approach to the inquiry, particularly in the short time frames. The provisions of the b ill were intensely debated and there were a range of views expressed within the c ommittee.

Notwithstanding this, I am pleased that we reached bipartisan agreement on the issues of co ntention, and I trust that the c ommittee's report will help inform the p arliament in its consideration of the b ill. On behalf of the c ommittee, I thank all organisations and individuals who participated in this inquiry by providing written submissions and , in many cases , appearing at hearings at short notice.

I would also like to express my thanks to the staff of the committee s ecretariat, who went beyond the call of duty to ensure this report was able to be tabled in the time frame that was requested.

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